The Lost Treasure of Poseidon
by Dean'sGyrl0208
Summary: Originally titled: THE VELVET STAR. When Genevieve is discovered as a woman in the Royal Navy, she has two choices: jail or piracy. Please read and review!
1. Caught

Hi everyone...well this is the first time I've tried to post a POTC story so please be kind. I have a pretty good story line worked out for it, but the premise was given to me by Pirate Gyrl so I just want to thank her. :- ) Anyway, if anyone can see something that I need to improve on, please let me know ASAP, along the line of inconsistencies in facts or anything. So without further ado I give you:  
  
The Velvet Star Chapter 1: Moonlight Revelations  
  
Genevieve frowned at the man seated behind the expansive desk. The moonlight streamed in through the small window behind him as he smiled at her sadistically.  
"Do you know the punishment for pretending to be a man in the Royal Navy?" Brigand asked her quietly.  
She did, of course, know the penalty. She knew it when she had enlisted six months before. And she was paying the price for it now.  
"Yes sir, I do."  
"And you know that you could be arrested right now. I have Johnson and Germaine waiting outside to take you to the brig if you put up a fight."  
She was silent as she waited for the captain to continue.  
"You have two choices Gen- I mean Genevieve," Baker said hospitably. He stood and turned his back on her, surveying the seascape.  
"Your first choice, and I would highly suggest this one is you can leave when we return to land. You will be honorably discharged to public knowledge, if anyone cares to ask. But you will continue to work for me. There's a small matter I need assistance with, but we can discuss that once you've made your decision." He paused for a moment and turned to study her reaction, to gauge her mindset before he continued.  
"Your second choice, and I wouldn't choose this one if I were you, is you can fight me and be held to trial when we return to land in a few days. If you choose this one you will be sent to the brig as soon as we end this conversation and you will probably be taken to trial where I will push for the maximum punishment." With a smile he spread his arms wide. "Which one do you want?"  
Genevieve folded her hands in her lap. "The first one," she said quietly. Brigand grinned widely, the look of a cat who had just cornered a mouse glinting in his eyes. "I am so glad you said that missy." He seated himself behind the desk again and propped his feet on top of it cockily. "Now we can discuss the terms of the agreement." 


	2. Simple Truth

**Disclaimer: I do own Brigand, Johnson, Germaine, and Genevieve, but unfortunately I don't own Jack. Dang.**  
  
_**Okay guys, Chapter 2. I know it's starting really slow, but I've got to get through this part before the fun can start. Hope y'all enjoy it. I'll probably go back and edit a lot of this later, so watch out for a revamp of some of this, but otherwise, enjoy. Please review!**_  
  
**Chapter 2**

** Simple Truths  
**  
Genevieve glared at Brigand as he continued to grin at her, his white teeth shining and rodent-like. "I can't do it," she told him, standing. "They'll know and then they'll kill me."  
"I would think so, but as you so daringly told me only moments ago, you managed to hide your gender for six months while we've been out at sea. That is a particular achievement my darling girl. And even with your limited acting skills I would think that this certain pirate won't be so hard to win over."  
"I can't do it. You wouldn't make me do this Captain. Knowingly endanger a woman's life."  
"You knowingly endangered your own life, you foolish woman, when you enlisted in the Navy. The least you can do is maintain your dignity and follow through with what you started. Or else you can spend the rest of the time aboard this ship in the brig."  
"Don't threaten me, Captain," Genevieve said, standing slowly so that she towered over him.  
"You are insubordinate, young lady, and will be treated as such if you don't stand down."  
"I am a member of the Royal Navy, and I can't be just paraded around like bait on a hook for some pirates, sir."  
"You will do as you're told or suffer the consequences." Brigand pounded his hand on the desk and leapt to his feet as the door swung open and two uniformed men peeked in. "Everything alright sir?" one of them asked tentatively.  
Brigand's eyes were burning as he stared at Genevieve who had retreated to her seat, looking down at her folded hands as her mind whirred.  
"Yes, everything is fine Johnson. You may go."  
They closed the door quietly and Brigand steepled his fingers, his elbows on the desk. "We'll be making land day after tomorrow if the weather holds. You will follow my instructions, Genevieve, or I will expose you for what you are."  
  
Despite the quick and searing hatred she felt for the man, Gen held her tongue and was quietly escorted back to a separate cabin by Johnson and Germaine.  
Later that evening, Johnson brought her dinner and a letter to her cabin which detailed her instructions as to what she would do as soon as she left the ship when they reached port:  
  
_Dearest Ms. Starr,  
This is going to detail what your assignment is and when you have carried it out to only my satisfaction then, and only then, will you be free to do as you please.  
I have already told you that I will not expose you while we are aboard, but if you wish to remain that way you will have to follow my instructions closely.  
Jack Sparrow is a pirate that the navy has been trying to capture for years. While we have caught him many times, we have been unable to hold him. This will be your job. I want you to get aboard his ship, the Black Pearl, and steer him towards Port Royal. Then when you make land, you will keep him there long enough for the us to catch him. If you can succeed in doing this, you will be free to go and you will never have to hear from me again. Once you have made landfall at Port Royal I want you to contact the authorities as soon as possible. After that you may do as you wish.  
  
With Warmest Regards,  
Captain Henry Brigand_  
  
Genevieve read the letter over and over again. He didn't tell her how to get aboard the man's ship.  
  
Two Days Later...  
It was dawn, the light spiking across the sky in a hazy orange. Brigand walked, Genevieve on his arm, to the dock.  
"Good luck, Genevieve," Brigand said, tipping his hat to her and then turned, pretending she didn't exist.

_**I know, I know...it's very slow, but on the bright side, we're getting closer to Jack. :-) Anyway, hope you guys enjoy this chapter, the third will be up very soon.**_


	3. Unlikely Meetings

**Chapter 3**  
**Unlikely Meetings**

Two Days Later...  
"Go on home darlin'," Ellie told Genevieve, shouting above the din of the bar, "it'll still be a while yet before they drink themselves into a coma." The customers were raging loudly, legs flung on tables and punches being thrown. "You sure you'll be alright by yourself?" Genevieve yelled back, gathering the coins a man who's skin was darker than the bar itself threw at her. "Oh sure," Ellie said, "I can handle 'em," Genevieve patted Ellie on the back sympathetically before ducking under the bar and an airborne chair and hurrying out into the night.  
She wove through the narrow streets, her head pounding. Brigand was a bastard. Anyone with half a brain could tell as much. But putting her in this situation was unforgivable. It was either accept his despicable proposal or a trial and subsequent jail.  
She stepped across a wide puddle in the thick mud that made up the winding streets of the so-called city. Sort of reminded her of her home as a child.  
  
How was she supposed to get aboard Jack Sparrow's boat? It might be difficult to find him, much less get him to trust her. She had found a job working in a bar just inside town. It was inhabited entirely by pirates, which scared her just a little.  
Ellie ran the bar, the Hurricane, almost entirely by herself. She had listened carefully to the drunken ravings of the pirates for any news of the infamous Jack Sparrow and supposedly one of the young women who lived above the bar, Sam, said that he would be back probably the next day because he owed her money. You keep thinking that honey, she thought, the day she would trust a pirate would be a sad day indeed.  
Sighing, she wiped her hands on the apron over the bright red billowing dress she wore as she made progress in the dim light. It was well past midnight and she was exhausted. At least she still had some money left in order to keep her room down the street. Most of the drunks were passed out in shadowy corners and didn't move. Lanterns dangled from every building, throwing soft orange light into orbs near every doorway.  
She didn't notice the shadow that seemed to follow her down the alley towards the hostel. Up ahead there was a fight going on. She just ignored it. There was no point in fighting over a prostitute when there were plenty to go around. As she brushed past what she thought was an unconscious drunk, a dirt caked arm snaked around her waist. She extracted herself fairly easily because the man was weak with liquor. However, she stumbled into the middle of the scuffle that had been going on. One of the men grabbed her around the waist, his other hand holding the short dagger that he had been gesturing wildly to her throat.  
"Well aren't you a pretty li'l thing," he growled, his voice gravelly.  
Genevieve held her breath, rolling her eyes annoyed at the drunken man as he breathed heavily on her. The other man smiled at her disgustingly while the young prostitute melted into the shadows quietly.  
"You don't know who you're messing with," Genevieve said quietly, her spine stiffening.  
"Oh don't I?" the man asked, the hand that was wrapped around her waist moved to her hip suggestively.  
Genevieve's heart pounded as she heard a rifle being cocked.  
"Let go of her," a voice said. The owner of the voice was enveloped in shadows, but the pistol was shining in the lamplight of the now silent alleyway.  
"Get out o' here, whoever you are," the man said, pressing the knife closer to her throat until she gasped. _How typical_, she thought, _a woman walking down a dark alley is asking for trouble.  
_ "I said let go of her," the man said again, his aim never wavering. It was pointed directly at her, or rather, directly at her attacker.  
"Aw, screw it," the man said, letting go of her, "she ain't worth it." She spun around and punched the man hard in the face. "Shows what you know." He stumbled and fell to the ground clutching his nose where blood spurted from it as he scrambled up and raced away, staggering. She grinned when she heard the other man run away, scared of a young girl in a dark alley.  
She had all but forgotten the man who was hidden in shadows. When he stepped out of the darkness she gaped at him. He was covered in dirt and grime, his hair long. He still held the pistol high. She stared at him, goggling for a moment.  
"Ca-can I help you sir?" she asked, using over-sweet politeness.  
"That depends love," he said, rubbing a thumb over his chin. "How much money do you have on you?"  
"You can't rob me!" She glared at the man, appalled, his eyes searing into hers and unconsciously put her hand in the pocket of her apron where her meager payment and a small dagger both sat.  
"Of course I can," he said, a small smirk landing on his dark face. "It's just a matter of which you value more, your gold or yourself." He cocked the pistol hammer slowly so that she could hear it echoing in the now-silent alleyway where everyone had disappeared.  
"I don't have any money," Genevieve said, keeping her face immobile and faced him bravely as he trained the gun at her.  
"Liar," he said. "Fortunately I know how to cure liars." He sauntered forward, and circled her mockingly. He slid a proprietary arm around her waist and she could smell him. Although she was sure he hadn't bathed in probably a month, he smelled of musk and smoke, which was surely from the pubs he frequented by the scent of his breath.  
"Don't touch me," she said quietly, her voice barely a whisper.  
"Why love, don't you like it? Ladies can't seem to resist ol' Jack," she could sense that he was smiling at her behind her back.  
Genevieve shoved his hand away and spun around, "I doubt you know many ladies."  
Jack frowned at her, obviously insulted, "now tha's not very nice. I didn't insult you did I?"  
"No, you didn't insult me, you merely tried to rob me."  
"Which brings us back to your inept attempt at deceit," Jack said raising a finger and wagging it at her, taunting, "shame on you." He still held the pistol clutched in his long-fingered hand but it was pointed at the ground loosely.  
Genevieve smiled at him charmingly as she moved closer, sliding an arm around his neck. "I'm so sorry." She grasped at the gun in his hand at tried to yank it loose. Before he let go of it the pistol fired at the ground and the shock of it sung up her arm. She staggered back, aiming the gun at him but was surprised to see him grinning.  
"Now what exactly are you going to do with that, darling?" he asked as he drew a broad sword from his belt.

_Damn, damn, damn it all to hell._

__   
  
Genevieve heard someone racing towards them and spotted a larger man who was loping down the alley. He had graying hair and a red bulbous nose which glowed.  
"Anything wrong cap'n?" the man asked solicitously, his words slurred.  
"Nope Tal, I got everything I came for," Jack said, nodding towards Genevieve.  
  
Genevieve backed away from both of them, the pistol still clasped in her cold hand. "Wait a second," she said, holding up both hands and allowing Tal to grab the pistol from her. Jack merely grinned at her, "walk now or be carried, love."  
"What do you mean?"  
He gestured towards her with his sword. "You're gonna come for a little ride on me ship, the Black Pearl, dear. Now you can either walk, or Tal here can carry you."

I know, I know guys. I have that really bad habit of cutting the story off before it gets to be good. Anyway, I should be posting again soon, so tell me what you think!


	4. The Black Pearl

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack. Dang.

I know this is a really short chapter, but, what can I say? Thanks to Dawnie-7, PineAppleLint and Pirate Gyrl for all your input and help. So, without further ado, Chapter 4.

**Chapter 4**  
**The Black Pearl**

"The Black Pearl?" Genevieve asked, narrowing her eyes at Jack whose eyes were sparkling wickedly as he studied her.  
"The one and only, darling," he said, "it's me ship." He paused for a moment, looking at her. "You'll see it soon."  
"I am not coming with you," Genevieve said, crossing her arms over her chest stubbornly, "you're kidding right?"  
Tal moved towards her menacingly but Jack waved him back. "Let her be Tal," he said. "Well of course, I don't want to bring you against your will love, just kindly hand over that money you said you didn't have and we'll bid you goodbye."  
  
Why was the man so damned cocky? Genevieve edged towards the wall, away from them both. "I told you that I don't have any."  
Jack grinned, his gold teeth glinting in the light and he moved closer, the sword still held tightly. "Now aren't you the pretty little liar?"  
She frowned as she realized that she had backed herself into a corner as he advanced on her. "If you don't want to give it up, I'll just have to find it."  
He reached out a hand but she caught it before he touched her and cracked her hand across his face. His head spun comically in a clatter of beads before he turned to look at her, his eyes burning in annoyance.  
"What the bloody hell are you doing woman?!"  
"I told you not to touch me," she said. "I don't have any money for you." She released his hand.  
Jack considered her threatening glare and looking over his shoulder, he motioned to Tal who moved towards Genevieve.  
"Stay away from me." She started to feint to her left, but Jack countered her quickly, snagging her wrist. He twisted her around, pulling her arm behind her back as she hissed between her teeth.  
"Now, where do you keep your money, love?" he asked as he slid a slow hand to her waist.  
"I told you that I don't have any damn money you moron," she said, twisting in his grasp. "Let go of me right now."  
"I'll be more than happy to darling," he said, shoving her into the arms of Tal who pinned her hands behind her back.  
"You damned cocky bastard," she said trying to get free to strike at him but he just smiled quickly, a quick flash of light.  
"Come along Tal," Jack said. "We have a ship to catch." Tal grinned quickly "Aye, Captain Sparrow." 


	5. Captain Brigand

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack. Dang.

I know, I know, these are very short chapters, but they're much easier to update and it's more fun. :-) Please review if you like!  
  
**Chapter 5  
Captain Henry Brigand**  
  
Jack whistled as he made his way towards the docks where the Black Pearl waited in the mist. He had sent Tal along with Ms. Starr ahead to the ship where she would be given a cabin. He took the worn letter he had received only the day before. He didn't know who was behind the letter, but any chance at some excitement was well worth his time.  
  
_Captain Sparrow,  
Captain Brigand has sent a spy to see to it that you are arrested. Her name is Genevieve Starr, previously of the Royal British Navy. You can find her in Tortuga.  
On. Emit_  
  
The letter had been given to him by a friend of a friend who was aboard the ship called the Ruby. He had crossed paths with the brilliant but lazy captain by the name of Brigand on more than on occasion. Brigand had remained captain of the Ruby for nearly four years. In that time Jack had been caught a handful of times, but only once by Brigand. Ever since then the man had an innate hatred for him, Jack couldn't understand why exactly.  
  
Whatever Brigand's latest ploy, Jack was confident that it wouldn't be too hard to handle.  
  
"You get back here right now!" Genevieve screamed, pounding on the thick wooden door to the cabin. Tal had ungraciously tossed her into the dimly lit room and without so much as an acknowledgement had slammed the door in her face. She beat on the door, screaming loudly, but jumped back when the door swung open slowly to frame that captain of the Black Pearl.  
  
"Well love, are the accomodations not to your liking?" He strode inside and closed the door quickly behind him.  
"What the hell do you think you're doing? I want to go home." Genevieve stalked towards him, seething.  
"I regret to inform you that that is not possible at the present time as we've already left port."  
"You can just turn this ship right back around sir," she said, her temper rising. Jack laughed, a full laugh that filled the room.  
"I'm afraid that is completely impossible. You aren't getting off this ship, my dear, until you tell me what you know about Captain Henry Brigand."


	6. Among Pirates

Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews, I really really appreciate them. I know the chapters are short, but again, much easier to update! Anyways, enjoy. There's a whole lot more coming!

**Chapter 6**  
**Among Pirates**

"I don't know what you're talking about," Genevieve said quietly, keeping her voice even and her eyes on Jack's.  
  
Jack studied her for a moment before he smiled widely. He sauntered into the room and pulled the chair out from the desk and seated himself comfortably, his legs flung on the desk.  
  
"My dear, dear Ms. Starr," he said, his voice low, "I already know that he sent you here. The question is, why?"  
  
Genevieve shook her head. "I don't know who you are talking about Captain, but you obviously have mistaken me for someone else."  
  
He chuckled amusedly at her for a moment, and then stood, upending a bottle that had sat atop the desk. It crashed to the floor, causing a suffocating odor that quickly filled the room.  
  
"Damn," he said, shaking his head at the floor. "I gotta learn to stop doin' that."  
  
Genevieve smiled at the scent of the rum and the heartbroken look Jack had on his face. When he looked up at her she failed to wipe the smirk off her face and saw a glint in Jack's eye.  
  
"I know Brigand sent you here," he said calmly, "and although I'd like to drop you down in the brig, you could have your uses."  
  
Genevieve rolled her eyes at his insinuating tone. "You might as well lock me down there before I'll do anything useful for you," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not that kind of girl."  
  
Jack laughed loudly, making Gen jump slightly. He leaned towards her conspiratorially, "are you afraid of me, lass?"  
  
She glared back at him, but the amusement in his eyes was evident. "No, I'm not afraid of any man."  
  
"Which would explain why you enlisted in the Navy. You must tell me how you managed that," he said. "I have enough trouble keeping a woman aboard, but how you pulled that off is beyond me." He had a touch of admiration in his voice.  
  
She watched him warily. This man was a contradiction in himself. First he saved her, then he tried to rob her, then he kidnapped her and now he was praising her ingenuity at impersonating a male and infiltrating the British Royal Navy.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I want you to help me get even with Brigand."  
  
She laughed low in her throat. "You don't want my help, you just want to use me."  
  
Jack spread his hands wide, a grin on his face, "what is with all of these insults? I'm serious, love."  
  
"Stop calling me that!" she said. "I don't know what sort of riffraff that you normally associate with, but I am not one of the women on your rotating schedule."  
  
His face sharpened darkly but his voice remained cocky, "you're among pirates now, love," he said, holding her arm, "you best remember that."  
  
She jerked her arm free, "you don't scare me Sparrow. I've heard all about you. I know what makes you tick. You're simply an oddity. No one will remember you after the Navy finally catches you and Norrington sees you hang. Brigand will take the credit and everyone will be happy."  
  
Jack stared at the woman, for once caught completely off-guard. "You really think that smarmy little man could catch me? Did you honestly think that you would?"  
  
"If I didn't succeed, he would send another."  
  
Jack scratched his head absently, "why do you suppose he hates me so much, lass?"  
  
Gen shrugged, "I don't know."  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
The knock sounded at the door quietly but Brigand looked up from the map he had been studying. "Come in." The door swung open to reveal a tall man with dark brown, stern eyes. 

Brigand stood quickly, his eyes sparkling, "Commodore Norrington," he said, "how nice to see you sir."


	7. Surprises and Problems

Okay guys, here's a nice long chapter for ya. It might take me a little longer to update, but oh well. Anyway, the best part of the story is about to start. ;-)

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack. Dang.

**Chapter 7**

**Surprises and Problems**

Commodore Norrington stepped into the room as Brigand gave a salute.

"What is it that you asked me here to discuss, Captain Brigand? I don't appreciate being summoned by my inferior."

Brigand smiled at Norrington indulgently. He waited until the Commodore seated himself in a comfortable armchair, the same one that Genevieve had sat in only days before.

"What is the reason for meeting here? Why could you not discuss matters in my office onshore?" Norrington looked at him, suspicion latent in his dark eyes.

Brigand studied his superior for a moment as the sinking sun shone in at his back through the wide plated glass windows. "Jack Sparrow."

Norrington laughed, a reflex before he caught the serious expression of Brigand.

"What do you mean, Jack Sparrow?"

"Well _Commodore_, Sparrow has been at large for years, much to the consternation of many of the active members of the Navy," he said with a pointed look at Norrington.

"Sparrow is an entity unto himself, Henry," Norrington said indulgently. "If he doesn't want you to catch him, there's a very small chance that you will."

Brigand's eyes darkened dangerously. "Sir," he said, "we have caught ninety percent of the pirates that have been wreaking havoc in this part of our territory over the past five years. What makes Sparrow so special?"

"He's a rather unique individual, captain, you must admit," Norrington said. "While he remains at large, he is of very little threat to us."

"That is a rather complicated situation, wouldn't you agree sir?" Brigand stood, planting his hands on either side of the desk, "after all, Sparrow has escaped no less than a half-dozen times from underneath the watchful and trained eyes of our guard, yet he still walks. If I must say, that is a shameful."

"If it is shameful, Henry, then blame lies within all of us. As I recall, didn't you capture Sparrow a few years ago?"

Brigand frowned and continued. "What I'm saying Commodore, is that we need to get rid of him. He's too much of an annoyance to the Navy to ignore any longer."

Norrington had heard enough. He stood and smiled at Brigand amicably. "Very well then Henry, I'm putting you in charge of it. You may have anyone at your disposal to get the job done."

"Thank you sir," Brigand said, "I greatly appreciate your cooperation."

On the Black Pearl...

Gen glanced around the cabin disdainfully. It was decorated in a minimalistic way, she supposed. Despite the flickering candlelight emanating from a single candle, she felt safe. It wasn't necessarily a good thing, however, because she was surrounded by a band of pirates that would probably rather kill her than look at her, however, she oddly felt the need to go to sleep. So, curling up in a fetal position on the bed she closed her eyes and within moments, she was dreaming.

_The sun was setting. It seemed to take up the entire sky in one giant red ball of light. She was alone on the beach, the light bouncing off the waves as they washed up on the pure white sand. _

_It was a memory from long ago, one that she couldn't quite remember. She stared up the beach to see the palm trees blowing in the breeze. _

_Suddenly she was inside the small cabin she had grown up in. Her mother was seated across from her. She was older than Gen remembered, but smiled and took the woman's hand. _

_"Mother," she said, "what is it?"_

_"Gen, you are in danger." _

_Genevieve laughed in spite of herself. "How could I be in danger? I'm in no danger." The aging woman shook her head, the crows feet around her eyes crinkling as she smiled softly. "You must take into account what I told you all those years ago."_

_"I don't know what you're talking about," she said. "What do you mean."_

_"You'll see," was all she said, smiling again before she disappeared into a swirling mist that surrounded them both. She felt like she was swimming in a whirlpool, only she was drawing nearer and nearer the surface. She could almost remember what it was her mother had told her..._

The room was dark. Sometime during the night the candle had guttered out leaving her in black.

She rolled over onto her back to stare at the ceiling as she could feel the ship rocking slowly, and sat up straight when the thunder crashed.

She stood up slowly, her balance sure and her head throbbing. There was something that she couldn't quite put her finger on, something she couldn't remember.

_She had been a little girl living in the slums of England when she met him. He had been tall and broad, a fine image for an upstanding young man. He wore clean clothes and had a bright smile. She had liked him at once. _

She could almost put a name on the young man she had met nearly fifteen years before, but the door opened. Sparrow poked his head inside with a small smile.

"I just wanted to check and make sure you're alright."

She met his amused smile with a cold glare. "Mr. Sparrow, I have weathered storms you couldn't possibly dream of. You think a small bit of rain is going to frighten me?"

Jack smirked at the bold girl for a moment before closing the door again quietly muttering something about the trouble with women as Gen rolled her eyes at him.

Xander stood outside the door, waiting for Jack near his cabin. Despite the storm, they had decided to drop anchor and wait it out rather than being blown off course. When Jack stalked up, apparently getting more annoyed by the minute, Xander smiled. "She's an interestin' little thing, 'eh captain?"

"Blasted woman," was all Jack would say, his face dark by the dancing light being thrown on his face from the lightning.

"You have to admit, she isn't the most mild mannered woman, is she?" he chuckled as Jack threw open the door to his own cabin. He stalked inside, annoyance evident in his stride as he tossed his overcoat down on the wide bed and tossed his head, causing water to fly from his dark locks.

"What do you know about her, Xander?"

He rubbed a hand through his own short hair and smiled. "Not that much, captain. She grew up somewhere in England, lived with her mother, her father died when she was very young which left them destitute. Then she enlisted in the army under the name of Gen Starr. That's it." He smiled at Jack's confused expression.

"That doesn't tell me much, Xander."

He shrugged and strolled to the table situated in the right hand corner of the cabin. "There's more, I'm just not exactly sure how helpful it'll be."

Jack turned to look at him as he removed his sword and pistol and sat his hat on the bed.

"If you think it's relevant, I'd appreciate knowing."

Xander pulled out one of the heavy chairs and tossed his legs up on the table. "Have you ever heard of Thomas Jenkins?"

"The name sounds a bit familiar," Jack said, "what does he have to do with it?"

"Hang on," Xander said, motioning to Jack, "I'm getting there." He waited until Jack pulled up a chair across from him before continuing. "Thomas Jenkins was Genevieve Starr's father. He was killed while serving in the Royal Navy. The oddity is that while he died while serving, they were not engaged in battle. No one is certain of how he died."

"Well he couldn't have just disappeared," Jack said, "when did he die?"

"When Genevieve was 5 years old."

"So, when he died, that left Gen and her mom all alone and with no way to support themselves."

"That is basically what happened."

"But you know more."

"I do."

Gen glared at the thick wooden door separating her from the raging storm just outside. The creaking of the ship was a bit spooky despite what she had spat at Sparrow.

She sat down on the bed after she had paced for a few moments, her thoughts racing. There was something she couldn't quite remember, but she didn't know what it was. With a headache brewing, she cuddled under the covers and finally drifted off to sleep once again.

Dun dun dun...well, that's all I have for chapter 7.

Stay tuned for Chapter 8: **Memories Forgotten**


	8. Memories Forgotten

Well, here's the next chapter, I hope y'all like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack. Dang.

_Marion: "You're not the man I knew ten years ago."  
__Indy: "It's not the years honey, it's the mileage." -Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark_

**Chapter 8: Memories Forgotten**

****

_The sea beat like a heart, the rhythm of it rocking her to sleep. When she got older, her daddy said that he would take her sailing on it. _

_The man had smiled at her sweetly, and had went inside their hovel to speak to her mother. He had short black hair and eyes like the ocean, the murky blue depths were mysterious and exciting to her childish heart. He had worn a uniform like her daddy's although he was much younger, and she remembered her mother crying. Something had been wrong, very wrong. Daddy._

"So," Jack said, "he just mysteriously died?"

"That's the general consensus," Xander said, "and ever since then Genevieve has been hell-bent on finding out who killed him."

"And...?"

"That's why she was serving in the Navy, although I don't think she found anything before they caught her."

Jack nodded. "Well, I appreciate all of your help. Have you ever come up against Brigand before?"

Xander laughed, a full, vibrant laugh. "I've heard that he's a pompous ass, but no, I've never actually met him."

"He's a fool," Jack said.

"Why, for trying to catch you?" Xander grinned at the cocky smile widening on Jack's face,

"No," Jack said, leaning back in the chair, "for sending a woman to catch me."

Xander frowned, "now that's not fair, you don't think she could've done it?"

"Oh, no, no," Jack said, "I'm sure she could've done it, if I hadn't seen her coming."

"How _did _you know she was coming?"

"A little birdie told me," he smiled as Xander laughed.

_The note that she had kept ever since that day, the one thing she still had of his was an old sketch of a rose. On the back of the paper had been two names: Thomas Jenkins and the second name was Cassandra Starr. At the bottom of the paper had been one other phrase: the Ruby._

Genevieve bolted up and stared at the door to the cabin which had been flung open with a crack. Rain spewed inside as she bolted out of bed, pulling the blanket around her as she went. She slammed the door shut, rubbing the stinging cold water off her face. Sliding down the wall next to the door, she cuddled inside the blanket, her heart pounding along with her head as she tried to calm down. She almost screamed when the door flew open again, but this time someone had come inside. Jack.

"Are you alright lass? I thought I heard you scream." He seemed surprised to find her behind the door.

"I'm fine. I just woke up." Her spine came back as she stood. "And is it your habit to just enter a room without knocking?"

Jack considered the question with mock sincerity. "Well, when the room is on my own ship, then yes, it is a habit."

She glared at him, but turned her back on him as she picked up a bottle sitting on the night table. She had already cleared up the mess that Sparrow had made earlier that evening. The only remnants of his mess was where the brown liquid had soaked into the wood.

She uncorked the bottle and took a deep swig, then coughed as the liquid burned a fiery path down her throat.

"Serves you right," Jack said, snatching the bottle from her. "That does not belong to you."

"Can I do something for you Sparrow?" Gen asked, turning on him, her eyes burning brightly. She stopped when she realized how close they were. After a moment of indecision when the rum was boiling in her stomach, she pushed him away roughly.

"Get out of my room or tell me what you want." She stalked past him and hopped onto the bed.

"My, my, my, aren't we feisty," Jack said, following her with his eyes.

"It's late and I'm tired. Can't your ridiculously stupid questions wait until morning?"

Jack rolled his eyes and took a swig from the bottle himself. "I'm terribly sorry to have disturbed you. Would you like me to bring you breakfast in bed? Would that be more to your liking? Or how about I just drop you back in Port Royal and right back into the hands of your friend Brigand." He sat the bottle back on the table and stomped to the door, more annoyed than anything. Something was off about that girl and he was going to find out just what it was.

"How about we speak in the morning?"

"You're the host," Genevieve said, with a wave of her hand before she buried her head under the covers.

Jack closed the door behind him and could hear her snoring softly. He smiled.

The next morning...

Genevieve rolled over in bed, and tumbled onto the floor before she could catch herself. Cursing softly, she curled up in a ball and tried to get back to sleep. She was so comfortable and warm. However, she felt herself being lifted up and cursed again, this time much more loudly and colorfully than before. She tried to open her eyes, but all she could see was white light.

"Put me down."

"Now now, there. I don't want you to bump your head. I'd rather you be in a talking mood for the questions I have now for you."

She took a moment to process what he had said before closing her eyes again as he laid her on the bed. "Damn it Sparrow, can't you just leave me in peace? I don't know what you want, and honestly, I really don't care."

Jack rolled his eyes at her half-hearted tone. The girl's face was pale and gaunt, probably spent tossing and turning during the storm. He stopped Xander before he could speak.

"We'll just wait outside for you if you want breakfast." They both made their way to the door and slammed it.

That damned idiot was going to be the death of her, she thought as she very slowly sat up and rubbed her head where she could feel a lump forming. She leaned her head against the wall behind the bed and ran a hand through her ebony dark hair. Slowly the remnants of the dreams from the night before began to resurface. Her father's death, the appearance of a young man who she couldn't place and the paper rose. After all those years she had forgotten about it. It was what had fueled her revenge, or rather, her need for justice. Thomas Jenkins was murdered aboard the Ruby, that she had always known, but by whom was always the question. He had been the captain of the Ruby many years before Henry Brigand took over. It had been her duty as Thomas Jenkins' child to find out what had happened to him fifteen years ago and in doing so, by masquerading as a man, would alienate herself from society at the exact moment she revealed herself.

She sighed loudly and rubbed a hand over her face as she slowly crawled out of the bed. She turned to the mirror which hung just above a small dressing table. She glared at her pale white reflection with the darkened circles under her eyes. She felt like she hadn't slept a wink. Her dreams had been so active and realistic that they didn't bring her any rest. She ran her fingers through her hair, having lost the ribbon she had tied it with, and opened the door to the cabin.

The humid air swept past her in a breeze, ruffling her hair away from her face. She spotted Jack standing at the bow of the ship, along with someone else. When they turned to face her, she smiled. Jack smirked as she neared them. "Sleep well?"

"You ought to know," she said, "you practically took over my room."

"Just doing my job, lass," he said gallantly. "This is Xander Marsh, an ol' friend of mine."

She nodded to him curtly after giving him a once over, curious to see where this conversation was leading. "Sparrow, I don't know what you want to ask me, but can you just go ahead and do it? I have much better uses of my time."

"There's always time for pleasantries love," Jack said. "Now, Xander here has been doing some digging, and he has uncovered some rather interesting things."

"About what?"

"About your lovely captain, the great moron."

"Ah," Genevieve said, sweeping a hand through her hair to keep it out of her face and smiling at Xander, "and what did he find out?"

"That your captain is more of a creep than even you thought," Xander said, leaning back against the railing.

"That's highly doubtful."

"Aye love, but it's true." Jack stepped between Genevieve and Xander, breaking their eye lock, "what do you say to some breakfast?"

Genevieve narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, "alright, I'm starving. My host is rather inconsiderate."

The crew had cleared out to give the trio some privacy, scurrying up to the deck for duty. Genevieve studied the empty room, and then the other occupants. Jack had his legs up on the table, watching her closely.

"Okay, so what did you find out about Brigand?" Genevieve asked, curious to discover she hadn't been able to.

"Well, first of all, what do you know about him?" Xander said, "After all, you did take up residence on his ship for six months."

"You know, have I met you before?" Genevieve asked suspiciously. "You look very familiar."

Xander shook his head with a smile, "no, I don't think so."

"Okay, well, he's been captain for a few years, he's older than most captains, which probably means he pissed somebody off enough times to be passed over for a promotion."

Xander nodded while he and Jack exchanged a look that went unnoticed by Gen.

"He also caught our friend Sparrow here about two years ago, but he miraculously got away."

"Is there anything else you have to contribute?" Xander asked, leaning forward.

"Not really," Gen said, "he's a very private person, he's not very personable. And he's just a general prick."

Before Xander could speak again, Jack held up a hand, studying Gen closely. Without looking at Xander he said, "would you mind waiting outside for a moment, Xan?"

Xander smiled and stood, "sure. Just let me know when you need me, I'll be on deck."

He headed towards the door and after it closed quietly, Jack stood and walked around the table. They stayed in silence for a moment before Jack spoke softly, "why were you onboard the Ruby?"

Gen frowned and stared at the grain of the wooden table. "Why does that matter?"

Jack pulled her out of the chair, knocking it to the floor with a crash. "Because, I know it wasn't just so you could act like a man. There was another reason behind it. What?"

"Well, you get the obvious award for the year. What clued you in?"

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"What, in between being kidnapped, dumped on board this stupid ship and being grilled by a half-witted captain hasn't really put me in the sharing mood." She tried to shrug out from under his grip, but his fingers tightened. "How many times have I told you to take your hands off me?"

Jack considered the question seriously, "I don't remember, I'm just a half-witted captain remember?"

"Look," Gen said, "you obviously know that Brigand sent me, why not just dump me at the next port and forget all about this thing?"

"Because," Jack said, "there's more to this thing than either of us know about."

"Oh, please," Gen said, "what did you do, sleep with Brigand's daughter?" She laughed before Jack stared at her blankly.

"Oh dear god, please don't tell me you did?"

"It was a long time ago," Jack said slowly. "And I don't see how that has anything to do with this."

"Don't you? It's so stupid, how could you have missed it? He's so pissed off at you for defiling his precious daughter that he's obsessed with seeing you hanged."

"No, Brigand doesn't even know what happened between us. It happened probably before you were even born."

"Then why is he so determined to catch you?"

"Well love," Jack said in a low voice, "he actually didn't try to catch me...he sent you to catch me."

Gen processed this slowly before she shook her head. "But why would he do that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He waited a moment and was surprised by her blank look, "well, he probably figured that since I'm such a vicious black hearted villain that I'd probably kill you if I found out what you were up to."


	9. Questions

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Jack or anything POtC related, except the movie and the soundtrack and a pin. Dang.

Okay guys, I know it has taken me forever, but I just started my junior year in college and I don't have that much time to write right now. However, I should start posting more often again. Hope y'all enjoy this!

**Chapter 9  
****Questions **

"Bastard!" Gen said. "I thought he was just trying to get rid of me. Why the hell was he trying to kill me?"

Jack shrugged. "You must've found out something that you weren't supposed to."

"Oh please," she said, crossing her arms over her chest, "the man has a few issues that he obviously needs to resolve."

"Oh?" Jack asked, his interest piqued at her decision to share opinions.

"He spends so much time aboard that little bitty ship of his that he's forgotten that life exists outside of it too. Sounds like someone else I've recently become acquainted with. Plus," she said with a little wink, "I think he has a bit of an inferiority complex goin' on."

Jack smiled but said nothing as he began to wander around the room. Gen watched him carefully as she picked her brain for anything else she could use to nail Brigand.

"I don't trust you, Sparrow," she said finally.

Jack turned with a half-smirk on his face. "I'd think you were a little slow if you did," he said.

"So what are you going to do about me?" she crossed her legs in the dress she still wore from the night before. It was beginning to smell of rum and sweat. The men that frequented the Hurricane weren't the cleanest of fellows.

Jack's smirk turned into a grin, "what would like me to do, darling?"

She rolled her eyes, a gesture that she felt she did every other minute while in his presence. "I mean, are you going to drop me off somewhere, or just dump me overboard."

"Now dumping you overboard is rather appealing, but I think I'll keep you around for a while longer. You're such a sweet and lovable person." He broke eye contact and opened the door leading out into the corridor. "Xan, you can come in now. I'll be right back, while Xander here keeps you company."

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Genevieve watched the young man closely as he sauntered in and seated himself across from her.

He smiled easily at her, "how are you Gen?"

"I'd prefer Ms. Starr, if you don't mind, Xander, was it?" She maintained her haughty attitude and kept eye contact, her eyes never wavering.

"Ah, forgive me, Ms. Starr." He leaned back in the chair as he watched her reaction.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked.

"Well, you and I both know that you're hiding something from our friend Jack out there," he said, "but at this point I only have a few conjectures as to what that would be."

"And how would you know anything about me?"

"I know more than you think sweetheart," he said with a grin.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack smiled down the corridor. Good old Xander would straighten her out, he thought. That girl was a headstrong, arrogant little snit who he had dearly been itching to dump off the side while they were on the open sea, but unfortunately he still needed her for a while longer.

Why in the hell would some girl want to live on board a ship with a bunch of disgusting smelly men at sea? He jumped slightly as Anamaria stomped down the corridor towards him.

Rolling his eyes at her he practically leaped out of her way as she stalked past him.

"Something wrong with you?" he called as she continued without even acknowledging him.

"As a matter of fact," she turned, anger evident on her face as her ebony hair swept over her shoulders. "You are acting like an idiot."

"Somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed this mornin'," he said, crossing his arms over his chest as she got into his face. She glared at Jack annoyed at his impatient grin.

"And why would that be, my love?" he asked solicitously.

"Because that girl isn't doing anything but holding us back. Why don't we go blow this moron Brigand straight to hell where he belongs and get on with our lives?"

"You know," Jack said, scratching his chin carefully as he watched the color rise in her sharply angled cheeks, "it just occurred to me that I am the captain of this ship. So we are going to do what I want to do, not just go blasting in and get ourselves caught."

"And how many times would that make, Jack?" Anamaria asked, her eyes large and round as she looked at him innocently.

"Don't start love," he said, "now is there any other mutinous statements you'd like to get on record so that I can finish what I was doing?"

She narrowed her eyes at him and swirled off, he laughed as he could hear her stomping up the stairs while she hurried above deck.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Gen narrowed her eyes at Xander. "What exactly do you want from me?"

"Just the truth will suffice," he said with an easy grin, intended to make her edgy rather than put her at ease.

"You know, I don't want to be on board this ship and I don't see how spilling my guts to you is going to entice Jack into a bargaining mood. He certainly didn't feel like a discussion last night when I requested to be returned to Tortuga."

"Jack is an...interesting and complex man," Xander began. He was cut short by Gen's brittle laugh.

"Oh please. That man is a pain in the ass who just wants to make my life more difficult."

"Poor little you, Gen. Why don't you cry and moan and tell me all about it, because believe me, Sparrow would be thrilled to get rid of you. After all," he said quietly, "weren't you the one who was sent here to kill him?"

She stopped for a moment at the look in the man's eyes before she answered. They were a very pale blue, so light that they were almost gray, but they were not harsh.

"I wasn't supposed to kill him," Gen said, "I was only supposed to take him to Port Royal."

"Ah," Xander said, "a slight distinction." He chuckled under his breath while she frowned at him. "Do you know how many times that man has been captured?"

"Well, I have a general idea but--"

"Let's just suffice it to say that there is practically no way you could have apprehended him, or kept him long enough to put a noose around his neck," he smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jack stared out at the water, his elbows braced on the railing. His little bout with Anamaria had put him in a sulky mood. Maybe she was right, he thought, maybe it was a bad idea to bring that girl aboard. However, if she remained on land, worse would've probably happened to her before the week was out. He cracked his knuckles and frowned at the horizon where darkening clouds were looming.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What do you want to know?" Gen asked.

"Why were you onboard the Ruby?" Xander fired at her.

"Do you really want to know? It has nothing to do with any of you."

"Trust me, it has more to do with us than you think darlin'."

"Fine," she said, taking a breath and whooshing it out again. "But first you have to tell me why Brigand wants Jack so badly."

Xander smiled again, his pale eyes lighting up. "You've got a deal."


	10. Sea Serpents and Mermaids

**Chapter 10  
Sea Serpents and Mermaids**

The rocky sky jutted down ominously as the men stared overhead. The storm loomed nearby, like a beast waiting to strike. No rain was visible, but they had watched the lightning bolts streaking down almost able to see Zeus hurling them from Mount Olympus.

Gen stepped out on deck and watched the men who stood as if stunned while they gazed at the sky. Xander stomped out after her, running his hands through his dark hair when he saw the black cloak that seemed to have fallen over the horizon.

She spotted Jack across the deck, his back to them while standing at the prow. He wasn't paying any attention to the rest of his crew, only stared out, at what Genevieve wasn't sure. Xander put an hand on her shoulder before she moved to confront him, "don't," he said, "he's only going to snap at you."

"Well that's just fine because I'm in the mood to snap back." She sauntered across the deck, some of her old confidence and a touch of arrogance were coming back.

She leaned out over the railing and was surprised when his eyes didn't follow her movements.

"You working on going into a trance? I'm sure I could steer the ship just fine without you." She smiled and waited for the words to sink in, until she saw a spark in his eye and he finally gave her the courtesy of acknowledging her.

"The day you take control of this ship is the day that I'm singing with the angels." He frowned, confusedly when she snorted loudly before blanking her face.

"What?"

"The angels, I don't think would have you, sweetheart. As a matter of fact I don't think the devil will take you either."

He glared at her and planted both arms on either side of her, caging her in.

"Sparrow, you're crowding me."

He smiled slightly, the amusement in his eyes sparkling. "Not yet."

She rolled her eyes towards the sky and frowned when his face turned to stone, his eyes going black.

"What is it now?"

He was looking over her shoulder. She turned her head to see what he was looking at, but her neck wouldn't turn far enough. "Sparrow, move, you're in the way."

He moved aside, leaving her to turn freely. "This is wrong."

"What's wrong?"

"We must've gone too far, something's wrong."

"I don't know what you're blathering about Sparrow, why don't you cut the cryptic."

"There's not supposed to be an island here."

"You have a flare for being a little over dramatic, that's part of your reputation."

"The one thing I know, love, is the sea. I know it better than the back of me own hand." To demonstrate, he held up his hand, and looking at it, he narrowed his eyes and whispered, "now when did I get _that _tattoo?"

She chuckled and stared out at the island that was looming up from the waves, whitecaps frothing near the shore as an errant dolphin swam nearby. "Oh yes Sparrow, I'm sure you know the sea, but I don't think an island would just appear out of thin air."

"You'd be surprised," Jack said quietly.

"Oh really?" she challenged. "Next you're going to tell me that you've seen the giant sea serpents and had a wild love affair with a mermaid."

"Well I won't if you don't want me to."

"You're mistaken, you've obviously been nipping on too much of your beloved rum."

He shook his head at her absently, rubbing his hands over his face, and then turned, stalking off to Xander. She watched them speak for a moment, and then Jack called out orders to the men.

The men jumped to life, springing up rigging and making sails whip in the wind.

Genevieve turned around to look at the island again, the lush palm trees against the bright white sand beckoned like an oasis in a desert.

"Sparrow, what are you doing? We have to go back to Port Royal!" She stalked towards him, her color rising.

"We have a little stop to make first," he said.

"No! We have to go back. Take me home!" She stomped like an angry child.

Jack just shook his head, a gleam in his eyes.

"Fine," she said. "You go gallivanting off to some island, but I'll be in my cabin."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She squealed as he beat on the door again. "Damn it, I said go away and leave me alone."

Outside the door, Jack beat his head against the door once and then frowned as Xander neared.

"What's the matter, that little lady giving you a bit of trouble?"

"Me, no. She's just a delicate little pansy," he groaned and slid a glance at the door.

"Ah," Xander said, knowingly.

"Why don't you just leave her there, she'll live, and she has to come out sometime."

"No, that's not the problem," he said, "she's got my rum in there."

Xander barely stifled a laugh before Jack turned to the door again and beat on it with his fist.

"It's not funny," he growled, "she took it from me cabin. I'm going to kill her."

"Ah," Xander said, "let's throw her in the brig."

"You know, I was trying to be nice to the little lass, but I've already got one woman clucking at me over this whole deal, what do I need with another?"

Xander laughed again, patting Jack on the back. "Don't worry, I have a bottle in my bag, we'll split it."

"Or you could just give it to me."

"We'll split it."


	11. Dreams

**Chapter 11  
Dreams**

"_Thomas!" Cassandra called down the hall with a laugh. She hurried down the hallway of the small home. "Where are you?" She squealed when he jumped out at her, wrapping an arm around her waist. She dropped the laundry that had been freshly folded and giggled. _

XXXXXXXX

_A young girl raced through the darkened streets of Nottingham, her dark hair long as it cascaded down her back. She was only 14. The small pay she had earned was tucked in her pocket as she rushed past the slurred threats that whispered from the shadows _

XXXXXXXXX

_Thomas stood and faced a youthful looking Brigand. "I am aware that you've had contact with pirates in regards to this treasure," Brigand said, his voice low and gravelly. _

_ "Sir, I was attempting to obtain information regarding this fictitious treasure. I believed that if I could prove to you that it didn't exist, you wouldn't insist on dragging the entire crew on a death mission. No one has ever returned with anything that proves its existence. What makes you think that it's not some figment of an old pirate's imagination?"_

_"Sparrow." _

XXXXXXXXXX

Jack tipped back in his chair, bringing the bottle to his lips, some running down his chin as he was already drunken and about to pass out.

"You know," he said, "it just doesn't fit, this whole thing doesn't fit together. Genevieve needed a reason to go on board the Ruby. She doesn't know what happened to her father. He could've been eaten by a shark rather than murdered."

"You'd be surprised what a crew will do to a man if he's in a position of rebellion," Xander said, his words not even slurred because he had only been sipping his drink. Jack was a guzzler.

"Trust me, I wouldn't," Jack said darkly, his eyes glinting in the candlelight as he held the bottle up to examine what was left of the dark liquid.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Gen sat up in bed, her breath catching in her throat. "Sparrow."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

**The next morning...**

"Rise and shine," Xander said as he kicked Jack's legs off the table.

Jack stumbled and fell to the floor, grumbling about something under his breath, but never opened his eyes.

"Come on, we got a treasure to search for."

At that, Jack's eyes popped open comically and he scrambled up, tripping over the fallen chair and cursing under his breath as he glared at Xander.

"What the hell time is it?" he growled.

"Late enough," Xander said, "now come on, we have a treasure to find."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Genevieve groaned as she heard pounding at the door. She had shoved the desk of Sparrow's in front of it to keep him out. Growling low in her throat, she crawled out of bed and across the floor, dragging the blankets from the bed with her.

It took her a few moments to push the desk back, but she finally heaved to door open and gaped at Jack and Xander.

"It is early. What do you want?"

Jack dipped low and scooped her over his shoulder, the blankets dragging on the floor as he carried her.

"Put me down Sparrow, or I swear I'll kill you."

Jack just laughed and continued. "Payback for me rum."

"Ah, you're just a bit touchy about it, eh?"

"If you drank it all, I'll just toss you over to the sharks."

"Put me down and I'll show you where I hid it."

"Where you hid-?" he stopped, his face reddening for a second until he saw Xander grinning at them both.

"What the bloody hell are you laughing at?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I'm laughing at the two of you. You certainly make quite a picture."

"Sparrow put me down and I'll help you kill him," Gen said, trying to shove the hair out of her face to glare at Xander.

"You think this is funny? The girl stole my bloody rum!" Jack said, pulling Xander up by the collar with one hand while he balance Gen, then he stopped, his color leveling out as he calmed down. "Why don't you go secure the rowboat Xan, because if I kill this girl, I don't want any witnesses."

"Certainly," Xander said, laughing as he walked away.

"Sparrow, put me down, honestly, where am I gonna go?"

"To the island with Xander and I."

"What! What the hell do you think you're doing? I thought you were going to take me back to Port Royal. You said you would." She wriggled in his grasp and he almost dropped her to the deck.

"And I take orders from girls so well," Jack said dryly, "I don't remember promising anything."

"Why do I have to go?"

"Because I don't trust you on the ship alone with my men."

"What," she said, "scared I'll sail off without you?"

"No, I just want to make sure you're still alive when I get back," he said with a smirk.


	12. La isla de los siente fantasmas

**Chapter 12  
La isla de los siete fantasmas**

"Commodore Norrington, sir?" Captain Brigand's surly face peeked into his office.

"Come in, Captain," he said, trying to stretch his face into a smile, but settling for a pained smirk as he shook hands with him.

"Thank you sir." Norrington gestured for Brigand to be seated and dropped into his own chair, exhausted.

"What can I do for you captain?" Norrington asked suspiciously.

"Well sir," Brigand's face lit up. "I have just been told that the Black Pearl has been sighted bearing towards Port Royal."

"And how did you obtain this information, captain?"

Brigand's brow furrowed, "I am not at liberty to reveal my sources sir, just suffice it to say, he'll be here before long and after he makes landfall we won't have to deal with him anymore."

"Captain Brigand," Norrington said, rising again as to tower above Brigand. "Why is it that you are so obsessed with this single man? Wouldn't it be a more fitting use of your time to capture the less notorious ones?"

"Sir," Brigand countered, "are you telling me to let Sparrow go?"

"Those words never left my mouth, captain, I am simply asking you to consider the repercussions of your actions."

"I know exactly what I'm doing," said Brigand, rising again and saluted Norrington, who simply nodded and continued to study the log book in front of him.

Brigand smiled out at the sea as he hurried towards his ship. The sun was just coming up over the waving palm trees and it bounced off of the water like the ocean had been filled with diamonds.

He saw the man leaning against a post that led to the deck. "Good job, Tines," Brigand said, "how did you find out about the Pearl?"

"I have me sources," the grungy looking man said, grinning, his yellowing teeth exposed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sun was only just beginning to peak over the palm trees as Jack and Xander made landfall on the beach.

Genevieve sighed as the breeze lifted the hair on the back of her neck and she scanned the shore. Nothing much but a few palm trees and what appeared to be endless miles of pure white sand. She pulled her hair back out of her face but it simply whipped out of her grasp and flew around her face.

"Would you stop playin' with your hair and help us?" Jack grumbled as he leaped over side of the boat, splashing as he started to drag the boat closer to shore and up on to the beach.

"If you don't mind, I didn't want to come in the first place. I think I'll just watch thanks," she said with a winning smile.

She noticed that Xander hid a grin as he jumped out to help Jack.

"Come on," Jack said, pulling her out by the arm.

"Now," she said, "how many times have I told you not to touch me?"

"I keep forgetting," he said slyly.

"Where are we," she asked, just letting her arm remain in his hold until they were well enveloped inside the thick vegetation that began about fourteen feet from the shore.

"Well, I can't be absolutely sure," Jack said, "but I think it is "La isla de los siete fantasmas."

"What on earth does that mean?" Genevieve asked, eyeing the thick green trees suspiciously.

"The island of the seven phantoms."

"Oh great, but wait, I thought that you said you didn't how this island had gotten here."

"Oh Genevieve," Xander said, "you have no imagination."

"Well obviously not, I mean, here I am with a man who has had an affair with a mermaid and Brigand's daughter and honestly I believe the mermaid story as being more probable but I don't think that islands can just appear out of thin air."

"Brigand's d--?" Xander started to say before Jack elbowed him in the stomach hard.

Jack glared at Gen and he caught her arm in his hand again, squeezing hard before she hissed out an annoyed breath.

Finally they reached a clearing where everything seemed to go silent.

"This place is really spooky," Gen said.

"Xander, you go west," Jack whispered, "Gen and I will go east. Let's see if we can meet somewhere in the middle. I'd like to get a feeling of just how big this island is."

"No problem. You two play nice now," he said, laughter in his voice as he disappeared in the underbrush.

"Jack, what are you looking for? Why did we have to stop here?"

"Because love," he said, "there's treasure on this island."

"Oh please," she said, "that is so overused."

"Tell me Genevieve," he continued, "have you ever heard of this island?"

"What? No," she said, shaking her head confusedly at his question. "Why would I have?"

"Because there's a long history for this treasure. The Island of the Seven Phantoms used to play host to the gods. Now it's deserted because of the curse."

"Curse? You honestly expect me to believe there's some curse on this little island?"

"Would you hold your tongue for just a moment and let me speak? Honestly!" he said, exasperated. "Apparently during the war between the Greeks and Trojans, Poseidon created an island rising up of the sea. Here he had placed the treasure of the seven phantoms."

"Why--" Jack cut her off as he held up his hand.

"The treasure of the seven phantoms is the lost treasure of all the ancient civilizations. He told the leader of both armies of it's existence and said that whomever won the final battle would be free to take the treasures. However, they must pass the seven tests. Most people think that it never existed, but me," he said, "I prefer to think creatively."

"That makes no sense whatsoever," she said. "How do you know we're even on the right island?"

"Because, love," he said. "I have you."


	13. Questioned and Annoyed

I know this chapter is a little iffy, I've had a bit of a problem with the chapter. Anyways, I hope y'all like it. I know I haven't been updating a lot (little chapters too, sorry) but I want to just recognize a few people who have been reviewing for a long time. Thanks to:  
**Dawnie-7  
****Rachel Sparrow  
****saxony  
**and** Pirate Gyrl (:-)) **as well as:  
**PineAppleLint**

anyways, thanks to all you guys for your input and help! Keep it coming!  
**Disclaimer**: Oh I suppose I'll put one in: I don't own Jack. Dang. But I do own Genevieve, Brigand, Xander, the movie, the soundtrack and a nifty little pin. I'm a lucky goose! :-)

**Chapter 13**

"What do I have to do with it?"

"That's not quite the most important thing on my mind. Let's just suffice it to say that you are an integral part to finding what I'm looking for."

"I swear if I don't get some answers soon, I'm gonna do something crazy."

"Calm down, it's not like I have ALL the answers."

"No, but if I'm important to whatever it is you're looking for, that means that you were using me. What gives you the right?"

"Would you stop overreacting, anyway, weren't you using me?" He asked nonchalantly

"It is not the same thing, I am trying to stay out of prison."

"Yeah?!" he said, "Well so am I!"

"You lying, sneaky little man," she said, shoving away from him and stomping into the trees.

"Bloody woman," he said under his breath as he followed her.

It wasn't difficult to find her, she was making such a racket swearing.

"Genevieve! Get back here!! You don't know what kind of trouble--!" he stopped short when he could hear nothing but silence. Taking a few more paces he slipped and fell into a hole that was covered with jungle vines.

He slid a little way before he tumbled and rolled into a sort of underground cabin. "That damn girl is nothing but trouble," he mumbled before he spotted her unconscious a few yards away.

"Damn it Gen, what the hell is the matter with you?" he asked as he crawled over to where she was, dirt smudged on her face. He turned her over and smacked her face lightly.

Her eyes fluttered and then she shot up, knocking him in the head.

"Ow! Why were you hovering over me?" she asked.

"Oh, no particular reason. I just happen to like looking at you while you're unconscious, you don't always look like you're ready to kill someone. Take a look around." He watched her scan the underground cavern and saw her eyes widen.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know exactly, I slipped through some sort of hole and this is where I ended up."

"You're just a fount of information, aren't you."

"You know what?" he asked.

"What?"

"If you don't shut up, I'm going to just knock you out and leave you here."

"Like you could."

"Don't push me woman," he warned.

"What is your problem with me?" she asked, struggling to stand up and look down at him.

"My problem with you? You have done nothing but drive me crazy ever since I met you."

"Okay, take a moment to think about this, you dragged me on to your ship, as I recall, I didn't ask to become a passenger on your precious little vessel that's an excuse for masculinity."

Jack clutched his hand in a fist and stumbled up, weaving as the gravity caught up with him. "If you were a man, I'd knock you out for that."

"Do you think I'm scared of you? Because I have news for you Jack, I'm not."

"You know," he said, "I think I've solved a problem that's been bothering me for a while now."

"What would that be?"

"I know why you're such a snotty little pain," he said, cracking his knuckles.

"And why would that be?" she crossed her arms across her chest and smirked at him.

"You act so mean because you don't want to give anyone the chance to get close to you."

"Please, you're delusional," she said. "Don't tell me that bump to the head turned you into a philosopher?" she felt her stomach flutter as he grinned at her suddenly.

His arm snaked out and yanked her close to him as he covered her mouth with his. Before she could pull away he held close and stopped her squirming. As quickly as it had happened, he released her.

"Sparrow, you really need to work on your moves," Genevieve said, "girls don't like being man-handled."

Spinning around, she felt her stomach jitter. What an arrogant, self-centered man, she thought. Always thinking about himself. Now if she could make it of the island alive, she'd consider herself lucky.

"I never hear any complaints," Jack countered. "Of course, the girls I man-handle aren't whiny little brats."

Before she could snipe at him, he held up a hand. "I'm calling a truce."

"But I thought you liked fighting with me."

Jack only smiled as Gen's stomach still jittered wildly.

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Xander clomped through the bushes, whistling to himself. The island wasn't really that large. Maybe Jack had been wrong after all. Then he saw something that made him change his mind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There was water flowing through shallow puddles throughout the cavern. "So," Gen said, "please tell me you can get us out of this hole?"

"Of course, because I'm the man I have to do the work."

"You are so whiny."

"Tell me one thing," Jack said, "why were you onboard the Ruby?"

"Does it really matter right now?" she asked.

"Yes, actually it matters a great deal."

"Fine," she took a deep breath and whooshed it out. "My father was murdered by Brigand when I was a child."

"How do you know? I was told that no one really knew what happened to him."

"I do know. The man that came to tell us gave my mother one thing." She dug into her pocket and pulled out the wrinkled piece of paper. The drawing of a rose was faded. "He gave her this. He said that my father gave it to him to keep in case something was to happen to him."

"But how can you be sure that it was Brigand himself who killed your father."

"Because my father was threatening him. Brigand was obsessed with finding this treasure he had heard an old mariner speak about. Apparently he sailed everywhere looking for it. The man told my mother that he had charged my father with conspiracy to commit piracy and hanged."

"Do you know who the man was?"

"I never knew his name," she said. "Remember, I was a child. I do remember exactly what he looked like, though."

"That's really very helpful."

"Actually it is helpful because the man looked exactly like Xander."

Jack stared at her for a moment and then shook his head. "You're mistaken lass," he said. "It couldn't possibly have been Xander. He's only about your age."

"Not Xander, Jack," she sighed loudly, looking annoyed. "Maybe someone close to him."

"The only other family I knew of Xander's was his pa. He never sailed with any military. He was a pirate through and through."

"Think Jack," Genevieve said, putting her hands on her hips. She watched as it dawned on him.

"Maybe Xander's father was the one your father had been conspiring with."

Genevieve nodded grimly, "I can't be absolutely sure," she said, "but I believe his father was the man who came to see us that day."

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_The sun was setting in the sky as the Ruby made it's way closer to the island. Captain Henry Brigand stood at the helm, an almost maniacal gleam in his beady eyes. Thomas Jenkins stood behind him, a frown on his face._

_"So you're really going to go through with this, captain?"_

_"You have no right to question my decisions. And yes, I'm planning on going through with this plan."_

_"Even if it causes the death of men aboard this ship?"_

_"Lieutenant, one more word and I will have you thrown in the brig for mutiny. Leave my side now." _

_Thomas hesitated as if he wanted to say more, but before he could voice his thoughts, someone called from overhead._

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	14. The Persephone

**CHAPTER 14**

**The Persephone**

Genevieve smiled out at the sunlight beaming down through the hole. "Come on Jack, help me up."

Jack grinned down at her, "maybe I'll just leave you there. Who knows exactly what's down there. Creepy crawly things or ghosts."

"Ha ha, very funny. Now help me."

She caught his arm as he lifted her up. Dusting herself off, she waved a hand in front of her face. "God, it's hot out here."

"No time to whine, we have to find Xander."

"God, you're bossy."

He smirked, "and you're mean tempered, but we can discuss that some other time."

"How do you do that?" she asked, cocking her head to one side as he shoved at the brush in his face.

"Do what?"

"Piss me off so well and be funny at the same time."

"It's a gift," he said with a crooked smile.

Hours later, Jack and Genevieve still hadn't found Xander. They had searched every corner of the island, and were unable to find any trace of him.

"Maybe he fell down a hole," Jack said, studying the beach where the rowboat sat.

"Or maybe something on this island got him. Come on Jack, tell me what's kind of tests we're supposed to pass. This place gives me goosebumps. Maybe if Xander knows about it, he might be looking for him."

Jack grinned, "one of the things I love about treasure is the mystery. It's hidden, you find it, it doesn't matter if it's lost or cursed or someone else's."

"How very male of you."

"What?" he asked, looking innocently confused.

"Something is someone else's and you just have to have it."

"Ah," he said, "no, it's just a pirate thing," he murmured seriously. "There are seven tests to pass in order to find the treasure."

"Seven?"

"Aye, seven.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_Jack! What are you doing? Didn't I tell you to stay out of those?" Jack's father, scooped the little boy off the rigging that he was climbing, which caused an ensuing shriek from the boy._

_"I was only looking!" he yelled. _

_"Aye, you'd be just looking when you fell off too, and then I'd hear about it for days from your mum." _

_Jack sulked away, rubbing his hands on his pants where the rope had burned them. With a smile, he concocted another idea, more brilliant than his previous one. _

_Stomping down below decks, he wove his way through the catacomb like passage and reached his father's private office. Twisting the knob, he rolled his eyes when it didn't open. His pa was a bit paranoid. He slid a sharp pin out of his pocket, something ol' Handy had given him. _

_After popping the lock, he raced to his father's desk, where papers where scattered. It was the ancient looking parchment which had been colored that caught his eye. He picked it up and slipped it into his pocket deftly, a light in his eye. His father would never know. _

_When he hurried back above decks, his father was no where to be seen. Most of the crew were scurrying about, paying him little mind. He leaned over the railing as he held on to some rigging, the wind breezing over his cheeks. He saw an ancient looking ship coming up alongside. _

_Just then his father came up behind him. "Ah good," he said, "here comes the Persephone." _

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"We can't just leave him!" Genevieve said. "I'd rather stay than desert him."

"I wasn't suggesting that love," Jack said, "I was only saying that I might drop you back off on the ship where you'd be more comfortable and then come back here by myself."

"Since we've met, how many times have you thought about my comfort?" Genevieve asked, tipping her head to the side.

Jack rubbed his chin, "it's hard to say, you've been driving me so crazy I think I've lost my mind."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"No, I don't want to leave, something bad might happen."

"That's your choice love, but I thought you would take any opportunity to get away from me."

"Well, at least I know you won't kill me because you think I know where this treasure is, your crew though, that's a different story."

"Whatever you want, I was just trying to be nice," he said, fingering the piece of parchment in his pocket. "Well in that case, we need to set up camp."

"Camp?" Genevieve's eyes darted back out across the water towards the ship.

"Of course, we'll have to spend the night. I need to find Xander, and seeing as how the sun's setting, we'll have to wait til morning."

"Ah...okay."

"So, which side of the beach do you want?" He winked at her as she plopped back down onto the sand.

"This is going to be a very long night, isn't it?"

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"You are kidding!! You really ran off with Brigand's daughter? I thought you were just joking when you told me that!"

"Tiffany was a lovely lass, but she wasn't cut out for life on the sea."

"So, whatever happened to her?" Genevieve propped her head on her hand as she lay on her side, sipping from a dark brown bottle.

"Ah, bless her heart, she married some sort of Spanish lord and made her father a nice sum of money."

"Brigand is a black-hearted, foul creature."

"Aye, he is that, but he's also got secrets, some of which could be damaging to both of us."

"So, are you suggesting we kill him?" she asked.

"As happy as that would make me, we'd have to get close to him. He'd have a firing squad ready before I made it within one hundred yards," he pinched her hard, "thanks to you."

"You are a very unpleasant person," she said. "I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that."

"Brigand sent you because he thought that I'd have a weakness for you," he smirked, "little did he know that my taste doesn't run towards sniping girls."

"Then what was that display earlier?"

"What?"

"That kiss! What was that supposed to be?"

"I was just trying to shut you up."

"You are the most egotistical pig I have ever met. Why don't you just tattoo it on your forehead and save the women of this world a lot of trouble."

"You're just mad because you liked it," he said with a sly wink.

"Get over yourself, Sparrow. And while you're at it, why don't you just go dive in the ocean and drown yourself, and make me the happiest girl on earth." She leaped up, her heart pounding in her ears, cursing him under breath.

"I swear, if you walk away from me one more time," Jack said, stalking after her. He caught her arm and spun her around. She slapped him across the face as he caught her lips with his own.

She shoved at his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him. When he finally broke the kiss, her eyes were wide and her face flushed.

"You are something else," she said, her voice hoarse and barely above a growl.

"What?"

"You think kissing me is going to make everything all better," she tried to step back from him, but he kept his arms around her, which hindered movement, "that I'm just going to melt into your arms and forgive you anything!"

"Kissing never hurts," he said, "why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm difficult?! You won't string two consecutive sentences together about what you know and if I ever go home, they'll throw me in prison first."

"What are you complaining about? I swear I think you're a little crazy."

"Me crazy? Yeah, that could be part of it," she said, shoving a hand through her hair as it swung wildly down her back as she moved farther away from him. "Or it could be that you're being so damn cryptic about everything that I can't keep my head on straight enough to dig through whatever it is you're babbling about."

"So what do you want?"

"I want you to tell me everything that you know. About Brigand, about Xander, and why you need me for this stupid map. Everything."

"You know, I don't know why I even let you on me ship. You're nothing but a spoiled brat!"

"Why are you avoiding telling me what's going on?"

"Because, I'm not exactly sure about everything meself. It's all a big puzzle, love."

"Well, why don't you try to explain it. I mean, we have nothing but time here," she raised her arms over her head.

"Come on, you're going to need to get comfortable, it's a rather long story."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Xander grinned up at the night sky. He wasn't exactly sure where he had made it to, but he felt like he had just been wandering in circles all night. It was a tropical island, but he felt a chill in the air that wasn't entirely natural. Maybe Jack had been right after all. About everything.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tines smirked as the women whisked passed him in the twilight of Port Royal. All respectable, beautiful, upstanding, proper women. They all disgusted him. Their snotty little attitudes as if they were one whit better than he was. After a few drinks he saw himself as Don Juan, the great lover, suave, smooth, and handsome as opposed to what the rest of the world saw, a wiry man with ginger colored hair and a deep-lined face who didn't let a glimmer of kindness peek through the harsh facade he created effortlessly. Little did they know what hid beneath the exterior.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The stars twinkled overhead in the dark blue sky, the wind whipping down the beach, creating little sand tornadoes as Gen huddled under a thin blanket. The glittering lights looked as if they were diamonds scattered across rich velvet. Gen was freezing as she moved closer to the dimming fire Jack had built out of a couple of trees he had hacked down as there was no branches or anything to use. The funniest part was when one of the trees fell on top of him, flattening his hat in the process. It had taken him a good fifteen minutes to get it back in respectable condition after he had stomped up and down the beach cursing the headache that was brewing from the lump on his head.

Genevieve simply told him that it was evidence that he had a hard head that that was the only thing wrong with him, which made him curse her even more. She chuckled at the memory, and frowned into the fire. It was as if the wind was trying to wiggle it's chilling fingers under the blanket. She started when she heard Jack snore loudly across from her.

That man was a complete mystery to her. Of course, she didn't even to want to admit that to herself. He was thickheaded, stubborn and a complete jerk—but he was funny and handsome and god, what was she saying? She wasn't a woman to get caught up in emotion, especially over a pretty face. As soon as she had been old enough to take care of herself, and considering her mother died when she was only thirteen, it had been a pretty early age, she had never created any lasting attachments. Her whole life had been devoted to finding out who had murdered her father and why. And it had been a gift from God when she was given a post right on Brigand's ship. Right in the lion's den. Of course, her little secret had been cracked before she had been able to prove anything about him. Hopefully, all of that would change, but she still wasn't sure exactly how that was going to be accomplished.

Shaking her head because she could feel a headache bubbling right between her eyes, she stood up, wrapping the blanked around her like a cape. Jack was still snoring away happily, his nose twitching and a sly smile on his lips. He didn't appear to be cold as he had his thick coat piled on top of him and his white shirt unbuttoned almost to his waist, his tanned chest visible in the shadows.

She rolled her eyes as she felt her heart skip a beat and berated herself inwardly. Suddenly, she heard something pop farther down the beach. Everything was enveloped in dancing shadows, but she dusted herself off and trudged through the thick sand closer to the graceful palm trees. She saw some sort of movement behind the moss draping across the low branches of an unidentifiable twisted tree and was about to move closer but a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Before she could turn to see whether it was Jack or Xander, the hand clapped over her mouth, muffling the scream brewing in her throat. She was dragged through the trees, towards the center of the woods, another arm around her waist before she stomped down on her assailant's foot as hard as she could and was shoved to the ground, landing on her stomach. The wind had been knocked out of her and she rolled onto her back, prepared to yell at whoever had dragged her around.

The eyes that met hers were mere slivers of silver as they stared down at her.

"Well well, Miss Starr, how nice to see you again," Captain Brigand growled as he saw her eyes widen markedly while he bowed ceremoniously.

"What the hell do you want?" she spat, noting the two men standing behind him.

"Why nothing my dear, just came to collect my earnings."

"Well, I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm doing the job you gave me."

"Oh yes," Brigand said, "I'll just bet you've been doing your job," he grinned as his eyes ranged up and down her disgustingly.

"Go back to whatever scum pond you mutated from," she snarled, "and leave me the hell alone."

"That's not going to be possible my dear," he said as he clasped her arm tightly, hauling her to her feet. "You see, I've known about you all along. You are going to lead me straight to the treasure."


	15. New Developments

Okay guys, I know these last couple of chapters have been kinda boring, but I promise it'll get better. I'm planning on going back and revamping all of them later on, fix some errors I noticed. Hopefully y'all don't stop reading! Thanks for all the reviews and please keep 'em comin'!

Special thanks to: Dawnie-7 for your faithful reviews!

And a very very special thanks to PirateGyrl for helping me with brainstorming!

"It's not about the ending, it's about the journey." -Lex Luthor, _Smallville_

**Chapter 15**

**New Developments**

Xander raced out of the foliage searching for the source of the screams he had heard deep in the scattered palms. He still had no idea where he was or how he had gotten so lost, but any sign of life was better than the penetrating stillness and silence that rang in his ears. He broke through the trees and searched up and down the beach, before he caught a glimpse of light glimmering in the distance.

He stayed near the tree line and rushed towards them. Thrilled that he had finally found Jack and Genevieve, he didn't notice several other figures lurking nearby. He stopped when he heard a voice he didn't recognize. Gen's voice was barely audible but Jack's willowy figure was nowhere to be seen. As a figure stepped into the light cast from the torch, Xander instantly recognized Captain Henry Brigand as he towered over Gen while one of his toadies pinned her arms to stop her in mid-lunge.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she shouted as she tried to wriggle free. Brigand backed away from her, his laughter cruel.

Xander reached for his hip where his sword rested, but it wasn't there. Damn it, where the hell had it gone? Just as he was about to break through the trees, brandishing nothing but his own fists and gumption, something struck him hard on the side of the head and as he stumbled and fell he heard hearty laughter from behind him. His assailant let the sword fall to the ground at Xander's side.

"Sir!" Sammy called getting Brigand's attention. "I found a man hiding out here." He moved to Brigand's side, gesturing to the palm trees where Xander's hand was visible. "What do you want to do wi' him?"

"Just leave him," Brigand growled, a sadistic smile on his face, "we got what we came for."

"Aye," Sammy said, leering at Gen who met his eyes with a burning vehemence.

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_Jack was lying on the beach as the sun set with nothing but a bottle of rum and a cool breeze to break the monotony of the rhythmic lapping waves on the sugar-white shore. A shadow played across the sand, stretching into forever. He looked up slowly and smiled as Genevieve sauntered closer. Her long hair fluttered in the wind, complimented by a billowing white dress that exposed the tops of her pale white shoulders. _

_She smiled at him shyly, her emerald green eyes glittering and her chestnut hair cascading down her bare back in the revealing dress. _

_"You look beautiful," he said._

_She didn't speak but just stared at him balefully as she stood above him, smiling._

_"You're a difficult man, Jack,"she said. _

_"And why is that, love?"he asked. "Because I adore antagonizing you?"_

_Her smile deepened slightly and she moved to sit down in the sand next to him. "Because you're too fearless. It's going to get you killed some day."_

_He grinned, "I can take care of myself love."_

_"Are you so sure about that?"_

_"Of course,"he said, "I've got my neck out of plenty of sticky spots. Who's to say I can't do it again?"_

_"I don't want you to try for my sake,"she said, as she looked out at the waves. _

_Jack took the opportunity to pull her down, sprawling her on his chest, making her giggle happily. _

_"Why would I have to save my own neck again?" he grinned and met her lips with his own. She pulled back, her face worried. _

_"For what's about to happen. I don't want you trying to be heroic," her voice wavered. _

_"I'm a pirate, my dear girl, not a hero." _

_She smiled again, trying to push off and regain her footing but he wrapped an arm around her waist, continuing the kiss she had ended so abruptly. _

Xander shook Jack roughly, until he was upended onto his stomach, his mouth open. He was awoken with a mouthful of thick sand. Spitting out the grit, he opened his eyes, and looked up, his eyes still blurry from the dream. It wasn't Genevieve who stood over him, but Xander. He was nursing a nasty cut on the side of his head just above his ear and he looked frantically from Jack to up the beach where fog seemed to linger.

"Xander, what's the matter?"

"It's Genevieve." The moon gleamed off his hair as he put a hand to his head, and drawing it away, was dismayed to see blood.

"What do you mean? Where is she?" Jack narrowed his eyes at Xander, his blood pumping quick and hot as he followed Xander's gaze.

"Gone."

Jack grabbed Xander's shirtfront, shaking him harshly, as if he was trying to shake himself from a nightmare. "What the bloody hell are you talking about, gone?"

"I saw her and Brigand."

"Brigand's here?" Jack said, the angles of his face contrasted by the dying fire. He had only been asleep for a little while.

"Aye, he took her," he gestured to the black water, lapping in whooshing waves on the shore and farther out in the inlet, the Pearl sat, alone.

"Did you see where?"

"No," Xander said, gesturing to his head, "one of the men came up behind me and, gave me a headache."

"Damn it," Jack said under his breath.

"What do we do? We have to go get her. Brigand'll kill her."

"You have to think about this, Xan," Jack said. "Brigand sent her here, do you remember? Now why would he come back to kidnap her?"

"It doesn't make sense," Xander said, "why would he do that?"

"That's what we're going to find out. We're going back to the Pearl."

Xander sighed as he watched Jack trudge down the beach, gathering up his coat as he dragged the boat down to the water and climbed inside.

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Brigand grinned down at her. "I hope you find the accommodations suiting, my dear."

"What the hell do you want with me?" she asked, spitting at him.

"You're very important to me, my lovely girl," he said, "you're the only one who can give me something I've been searching for my entire career."

"Oh, and what is that? A face that's not hideously ugly?"

He smiled at her, like a crocodiles's silence before it strikes, and slapped her across the face. She flinched but kept her footing in the small cell in which she stood.

"I may have spared you from the courts, but, you mock me again and I'll see to it that the sharks will be having you for their next meal."

Genevieve watched him blandly as he paced, his face anxious and angry.

"You're the daughter of Thomas Jenkins," he said, watching her face for a reaction or a lie.

"I am," she whispered, "and you're his murderer."

Brigand nodded calmly. "I'm no murderer lass, I am a captain. I had a man hung for piracy on my own ship."

"You were his judge, jury and executioner," she said, "he had no justice."

Brigand smiled, "isn't it odd how history likes to repeat itself. It's as if it likes to relive certain events. Like this for example," he grinned, spreading his arms wide, almost the length of the cell. "It had to have been twenty years ago when your father stood in the very place you're standing, looking at me in very much the same way you are."

"I will kill you," she said, "before I help you do anything."

A grim smile etched across his face as she backed away from him involuntarily. "You'll do exactly what I tell you to do, girl, or you'll be meeting with my brand of justice." He paused, "the sun'll be up in a few hours, I suggest you rest up for the work you have ahead of you. And if there's anything you need, all you have to do is call. Your old crew is so happy to have you aboard." He backed out of the cell and slammed the door in her face, jogging up the stairs that led to the main deck leaving Genevieve to stare stonily after him.

When there was nothing but silence echoing through the small room, she stretched out on the cold floor, staring up through the miniscule porthole that provided the only light through which the moonlight filtered through.

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Anamaria rubbed a hand over her forehead. The sun was to be rising soon and she didn't know when Jack would be back. She smirked as she thought of Jack and treasure. Once he got an idea in his head, it was impossible to dislodge it from the brick it was made of.

She shoved her hair out of her face and repositioned her hat. The sea was gentle with only the slightest rocking of the ship. She moved to the wheel, sliding her dark hands over the rungs. It was with the first glimpse of sunrise that she saw the silhouette of the rowboat making its slow progression towards the ship.

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Sunlight fell golden through the archway of the door in the throne room. There, Helen and Paris of Troy stood, embracing lovingly. Both were dressed richly, with Paris dressed to fit his station as one of the princes of Troy, and Helen wore the garments of a princess, having been accepted with loving arms by Paris' father, Priam.

"I don't want you to die for me," she whispered through gritted teeth. "This is not worth your city, your people."

"I love you," he said, his face close to hers as he held her eyes. "I've loved you since the moment I saw you. That may be selfish, but it's enough."

He held her close as she looked on, her golden hair cascading down as his hand trailed down her back. She smiled a small, sad smile that did not radiate up to her eyes. Hera had created her in the image of Helen, but she couldn't emulate real human emotions. She was the essence of a cloud, an idea conceived by Hera when Aphrodite bribed Paris to win the beauty contest which decided who was the most beautiful of the goddesses.

When Paris released her, she saw that he noticed someone approaching. It was a courier, his face grim as he carried a scroll. With a bow, he offered it up to Paris who narrowed his eyes at the young man.

"What is this?"

"I know not, my lord, but I was sent by your father, King Priam to bring this to you. It was meant for Prince Hector." He bowed to Paris, who accepted it.

"Thank you." Paris followed the boy with his eyes as he left, and then reached to open the scroll carefully. He met Helen's eyes with his own, and his eyes sad.

She watched as he scanned the words written to his dead brother and her face filled with an emotion that she could never feel; sadness.

"What does it say, my love?" she asked, moving to his side, placing a proprietary hand on his broad shoulder.

"It's a letter from Agamemnon. He says that there is something he wanted to speak with Hector about. It's in regards to a "reward.""

"Maybe you should speak to the king?" Helen asked. "See what he thinks of the matter. It could be some sort of trickery devised by the Greeks."

"I will later. My father has grieved long for Hector and that period is not yet over. He deserves privacy."

"Whatever you want my love," Helen says with a smile.

"Here," he said, handing her the scroll, "would you take this and keep it for me?"

"Of course," she said , taking his hand, and running her arm up and ran her fingers through his dark hair, kissing him softly on the cheek and with a turn, left him.

As soon as she exited the room, she disintegrated into a cloud of vapor, drifting upwards until she arrived on Mount Olympus, the home of the gods.

The guardians at the gates did not stop her as she walked stiffly up to the thrones of Zeus and Hera. When Hera saw her, her eyes narrowed and she directed the phantom away, so that they could speak in private. Zeus watched his wife take her leave, but did not say anything.

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Jack rushed to his cabin, throwing the doors open wide.

"What are you looking for?" Xander asked, walking into the quarters after him.

"Something I've had for years, a gift from your pa as a matter of fact."

"My father? What did he give you that you've kept all these years?"

"Something we're going to need to get out of this with our necks intact."

"We have to find her," Xander said, "before Brigand does something."

Jack turned away from the desk that he was rummaging through and looked at him. "Boy, Brigand may be a sneak, but if he'd wanted to kill her, he would've done it long ago."

Xander nodded, "but then what does he need her for?"

Jack put his hands in his pants pockets and rocked back on his heels. "There's something you need to know about Genevieve."

"What is it Jack? Why don't you just tell me everything you know about her and stop doling it out for theatrical effect!"

"It is captain to you, boy, and I'll tell you exactly what I think you need to know, for your own sake, as well as mine."

"Fine," Xander said, pulling out a chair and plopping into it. "Tell me what you know."

"You know the legend behind this island," he started, waiting for acknowledgement. "But there is an integral detail that isn't widely known. When Poseidon created the island from the depths of the sea, he divided the map that would lead the treasure-seekers to it. The two enemies must come together to find the treasure."

"The two enemies? You mean a Greek and a Trojan?" he asked.

Jack nodded, "You are the Greek, and she, descended from the princes of Troy."

"This is ridiculous, how do you even know?"

"Your father, lad, he's the one that gave me the directions. Instructions on how to find this." "But without Genevieve, we'll never find the treasure. We need her."

"We'll need her for the tests," Jack said with a sly smile, "but we can get there without her help." He pulled out the piece of parchment she carried with her religiously. "I may be a pirate, but I'm not a saint."

"This is insanity."

"Boy, you have no idea." Jack slapped him on the back and, hauled him up by his arm, remembering the vivid dream he had had, with a demure Genevieve. "Now we have a treasure to find."

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Genevieve tossed and turned as she dreamed, terrible dreams of death and destruction. She dreamed of soldiers slain in an ancient battleground, bloodstained and staring as they fell to the ground while horses drawing chariots reared violently and turning, retreated. She sighted a dark haired prince at the wall of the distant city, holding the arm of a fair haired woman as they surveyed the death displayed so disgustingly in the slaughter. She almost recognized the man, his dark eyes reminded her of something, but she couldn't remember.

She sat up straight when the heavy clomp of boots sounded on the stairs. A moment later, two men appeared, twisted grins on their faces as they unlocked the door to her cell. One stepped inside and pulled her off the plank floor, yanking her arms behind her back and tying them quickly as she struggled. When that was done, they led her up the stairs, where Brigand stood waiting.

"We're going back to your island, my dear," he said. "You're going to make me a very rich man." He rubbed her soft hair between two of his fingers as she snarled at him viciously.

"Take her to the boat," he told one of the men. He watched them with a satisfied grin.


	16. The Prophecy of Poseidon

Okay guys, I have bad news. I have to put this story on sabbatical until further notice. I have tried and tried to work on it, but I have a major writers block and can't come up with anything. These paragraphs are the only leftovers from my feeble attempts. I will continue to work on it, but the Spring semester just started and I'm going to focus on that. Maybe some ideas will come to me.  In the meantime, please don't give up on me yet because I really would love to finish this story. If anyone has any ideas, please, please, please, please, let me know. You can either email me or just mention your ideas if you choose to review. Thanks a whole bunch! And please keep reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own POTC. Dang.

**Chapter 16**

"The Island of the Seven Phantoms"

The water was choppy as the men rowed towards the island, the rhythm making her sick as one of the men grinned at her luridly. Genevieve was able to crane her neck and catch a glimpse of the Pearl as they neared shore. The Ruby was anchored out of sight, in a small cove where some beech trees grew. When they finally reached the salty white shore, glowing eerily in the moonlight, the men scrambled out and hauled the small rowboat up so as to keep it out of the reach of the waves.

They pulled her out of the boat, and she stumbled on the deep soft sand, before one of the men caught her.

Brigand led the way deep into the forest, as if he knew where he was going. Hopefully, Jack was waiting for them somewhere. At least they hadn't just left her with Brigand, glad to be rid of her.

She glared at one of the men, as he rubbed her arm suggestively. She tried to snatch free, but he just ground his fingers into the bone. He winked at her as her eyes filled with tears but she didn't give him the satisfaction of letting them fall. She had never cried, not even when she had burned her hands in the fire playing when she was eight, and she wouldn't cry now. All she could do was send out a prayer,_ hurry Jack._

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_"Where did you get this?" Hera trained her smoky eyes on Helen's phantom. _

_"From the prince. He asked me to keep it safe for him." _

_Hera scanned the parchment and her eyes landed on a symbol invisible to the mortal eye. "I don't believe it," she said. _

_"What is it, my goddess?" Helen tried to see what Hera was so intent on._

_"Poseidon."_

_"The god of the sea? He sent the letter to Paris?" _

_"That he did," Hera said, glaring at the paper until tiny fingers of smoke began to rise from the paper, curling upwards. _

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_**Poseidon's Treasure**_

_**The Island of the Seven Phantoms**_

_On a faraway island_

_There lived a woman of beauty renowned_

_The most beautiful mortal woman of the world_

_She was the wife of a Grecian man._

_During this time the goddesses_

_Organized a beauty contest_

_To discover the answer to a lingering question over _

_which they bickered_

_Who possessed the most beauty?_

_They chose a judge, the handsome Paris_

_to settle their interminable score_

_To him they each offered up their own divine gifts_

_But only one enticed him enough to be swayed_

_It was fair Aphrodite, the goddess of love_

_Who offered him Helen, the wife of another man_

_The winner was chosen, the prize bestowed_

_Hera, jealous of Aphrodite's victory_

_Decided to create an impostor_

_The image of Helen, but without true emotions_

_She was created of the clouds and maintained their power_

_Poseidon learned of her treachery_

_And devised a plan_

_To heal the rift that divided the Greeks and Trojans_

_He piled together all the treasures of the ancient worlds_

_and hid it on an island he created with the wave of his hand from mermaid bubbles_

And it has remained there since the war of Troy Hidden 

Okay, that's the last of what I've come up with in the past couple of months. Hopefully, I'll come up with something soon. Anyways, thanks to everybody for reviewing so faithfully even though I've been a bit sporadic. Thanks!


	17. Hidden

Chapter 17: Hidden

Genevieve watched the sky as it became a dark rose over the cover of trees. She hoped that Jack had some sort of plan. If not, they were all in trouble. She shuddered as Brigand looked over his shoulder at her, winking demurely.

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Xander followed Jack through a grove of beech trees, the sand thick and white under his bare feet.

"Where are you going Jack? There's nothing here," Xander said, stopping and leaning an arm against the trunk of one of the trees.

"Be patient lad, there's more here than meets the eye."

"Jack, if you've led us on a wild goose chase..." Xander said threateningly.

"What?" Jack challenged as he narrowed his dark eyes.

"You've endangered Gen's life."

"She knowingly endangered her own life," Jack said sourly.

"You know that she didn't have a choice," he said.

"Aye, there's always a choice lad." Jack turned and starting pushing his way through some lush bushes.

"How is this map going to help us find this make-believe treasure?"

"It's encoded," Jack said.

"Marvelous," Xander said, rolling his eyes behind Jack's back.

"What, you don't believe me?" Jack asked.

"I know I joined you when I found out you knew something about this map, but I'm still skeptical as to whether or not it exists," he said.

"Why are you skeptical, you're father was the inheritor of the map," Jack continued.  
"Yes, but a treasure that was hidden by the gods," Xander asked. "Sounds a little far-fetched to me."

As he said this, lightning speared through a nearby tree and landed directly at Xander's feet.

"That's a little coincidental, huh?" Jack asked.

Xander swallowed and looked up at the clear sky. "Just a little."

"You were saying?" Jack asked with a smile.

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Brigand pulled Gen by the arm to a grove of trees and gestured for the other men on the crew to leave them.

"Now my dear lady," he said, "I know that you are in possession of the treasure map. What I want to know is why you did not deliver Captain Sparrow to Port Royal as I ordered you to. Those were the conditions of our agreement."

"Captain, it was rather difficult to persuade Sparrow to return to Port Royal after he was captured recently by Commodore Norrington. He reasoned that he did not want to draw attention to himself until some time had passed in Port Royal."

"Commendable Starr, playing along with the pirate," Brigand growled.

"You know very well you'll never be able to capture and contain Captain Sparrow," Gen said.

"And what makes you so sure of that?" Brigand asked, overly interested as he leaned against a palm tree.

"Because he's too smart for you," Gen said.

Brigand grinned at her and then swept an arm out, smacking her across the face and knocking her onto her back in the sand.

"So quick to change your allegiance Ms. Starr?" Brigand spat.

"If he's working against you, then I'm on Jack's side," Gen said, sticking her chin out at him.

"I've had enough of this, where's the map?" Brigand pulled her up so that she was eye-level with him.

"I don't have a map," Gen said.

"Of course you do," said Brigand with a smile. "Funny that I didn't see your father in you until I learned of your deception in regards to your gender. Your father was a liar and a traitor, Gen, just like you. Imagine, consorting with pirates and scoundrels! You even had it in your head to seek out the son of the man who your father had worked alongside, plotting against me."

"What are you talking about? You made me go after Sparrow," Gen said.

"I released you from duty. The minute you stepped off the Ruby, you did as you chose. At least," he held up a finger and chuckled, "that is how it will be perceived."

"Why set me on a wild goose chase? Having me try to apprehend Sparrow?" Gen questioned. "I was never going to bother you again," she said quietly.

"Of course you would," Brigand countered. "Maybe not immediately, but eventually you would seek me out again. You're just as stubborn as he was in that respect. He thought that the treasure would lead to nothing but death and destruction. However, I have been searching for this treasure for more than twenty years. If you had not been on my ship, I never would've been given this opportunity twice in a lifetime. A chance to find the treasure of all time."

"You're crazy," Gen said. "There's nothing here but sand and palm trees."  
"You don't have all the facts, my dear girl," Brigand said.   
"Allow me to enlighten you." 


	18. Deceit and an Old Friend

Okay Guys, here's the next chapter. I know it's kinda taking a while, but there's a couple of things that have to happen first...;-) Anyway, I'd just like to send a thank-you to all my favorite reviewers! Thanks guys! I really appreciate it: Pirate Gyrl, Dawnie-7 and Miss Amy Lynne. You guys are all great! Okay, on to the next chapter, remember, no flames please!

P.S. I saw Batman Begins yesterday and it ROCKED! Christian Bale was awesome and very hot. :-) In my opinion, it was the best Batman movie, even better than Tim Burton's collaborations with Michael Keaton. Trust me, if you haven't seen it, GO SEE IT!

**Chapter 18: Deceit and an Old Friend**

"Your father was consorting with pirates just before his…untimely demise," Brigand began as he sliced the rope that held her hands behind her back.

"I know you murdered him," Gen said, "why can't you just admit it to my face?"

"He committed acts of mutiny and piracy and was justly punished," Brigand interjected, his face becoming red. He took a moment to compose himself and then continued.

"Your father knew of this treasure, more than I," he said. "It was through him that I learned the location of the island where it was hidden." He stopped, and laughed. "At least, I thought I knew where it was hidden. Thomas gave me false coordinates. Of course, I wasn't aware of that until after he was dead. It was as we were nearing the island that I had him executed. You see, I had no further need for him, at least that's what I thought," he said with a grim smile.

"You slimy bastard," Gen said, rising to punch him, but he caught her bunched fist in his hand and sent her sprawling.

"Stupid woman," he growled. "You have no power here."

"Obviously I do," said Genevieve. "If you had no use for me, you'd dispose of me as easily as you did my father."

"You have more spine than your father did," Brigand said with a hearty laugh.

"Do you have a point that you're coming to anytime soon?" Gen asked. "Because I can't stand the sound of your voice or you slimy stench."

"Quiet, you stupid girl. Now," he continued, "the man who Thomas learned of the treasure from was named Marsh, Tristan Marsh. He's the father of Alexander Marsh, the pirate who is on Sparrow's ship."

"How did Xander's father know about the treasure?"

"He inherited the map from his father, tracing back to the ancient Greeks."

"Then why do you think I have this map? Obviously, Xander is the one you want. He's the one who has the map."

"Xander inherited only half the map. There is another who inherited the final piece of the map."

"And you think that was me?" she asked with a laugh. "This is great," she laughed. "This is just great. I don't have a map. I've never had a map."

He crushed her arm with his hand, "you're lying."

"Why lie? I have nothing to lose," she tried to shrug out of his hand.

"I could kill you," Brigand growled, pulling his pistol out.

"Oh yeah? Go ahead," she said defiantly. "The only thing that has kept me going all these years is that some day I knew I'd be able to hurt you as badly as you hurt my mother and I. What better way to hurt you than where it matters most? Your greed."

"You foolish girl. I know you have the map. Your father had the map. He hid it from me. I know you have it." He pulled her up to him and glared, his black eyes boring into hers. There was silence except for the caw of a seagull and the whoosh of rustling palm trees.

Gen was concocting a plan quickly. Maybe she did have this map that Brigand was so crazy over. If so, she'd never known it. Jack had thought she had this map too. Just as she was coming to a revelation, Brigand shoved her to the ground, sending sand flying all around her. She watched as he signaled his crew from the nearby beach.

"What are you doing?" she asked, getting ready to sprint at any moment.

"We're returning to the ship," growled Brigand. "You, however, are not." She watched him signal to her ex-shipmate, Johnson. "You're going to remain here until you give me the location of that map, no matter how long it takes."

Gen turned to run, but before her legs would pound through the thick sand, one of the men bashed her over the head with their pistol. She felt herself tumbling to the ground, hitting the sand bonelessly.

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Jack and Xander emerged on the beach at the southern tip of the island. "Jack, we're going in circles," said Xander.

"Would you just pipe down," growled Jack. "I'm so tired of your questioning," he said as he consulted the map.

"We saw Brigand on the rowboat. Do you think that Gen is back on the island?"

"Gen is the least of our worries right now. If Brigand knows how to get to the first step of the map, then we're in big trouble."

"Aren't you worried about her?" Xander asked, anger filling his voice as he trudged through the foliage.

Jack flashed back on the realistic dream he had and smirked. "We all have more important things to worry about right now. We can't chance trying to rescue her until we're sure that Brigand's not planning on killing us all. We have to be smart about this. All he cares about is this treasure. Once he has that, who knows what he'll do?"

"And how exactly are you planning on finding the starting point for this map?"

"It's very simple really," he said, gesturing to Xander's portion of the map. "You see, there's an "X" next to the name "the Ruby." It's a simple number cipher. All you do is replace the letters with their order in the alphabet, then we have how many paces are between the different locations on the map."

"Okay," said Xander. "That made absolutely no sense to me."

"Your father explained it to me years ago. It's rather spooky, but I think he knew that we would all be here someday. At least we have a little help in this insanity. We have seven tests to get through and only a very short amount of time to do it in. I'm sure Genevieve will be fine. As long as Brigand believes that she knows something about this treasure, he'll keep her alive."

"I'd just feel better knowing she's okay," grumbled Xander.

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Genevieve shook her head as she opened her eyes. Her vision was slightly blurry and wavered as she looked around the surrounding palm trees. Her limbs were heavy as she tried to tug them free from the rope surrounding her wrists.

"Damn Brigand," she growled. Her arms were twisted behind her around a palm tree.

She tugged at the rope, but it stayed in place.

"Welcome back," said a voice above her head.

Genevieve glanced up above her as a man with ginger-colored hair stared down at her with a grin.


	19. They Never Listen

**Chapter 19: They Never Listen**

"Who in the bloody hell are you?" she growled.

"An old acquaintance of your father's. Yes," he said, surveying their surroundings, "he and I go all the way back to our service on the Ruby." He smiled at her, exposing rotting teeth.

"You're one of Brigand's lackeys," she said, annoyed.

"I'm no one's lackey," he said threateningly, practically spitting the word at her.

"What do you want with me?"

"What Brigand couldn't make you admit to having. The map."

She laughed, her voice low and ruthless. "You men are all so stupid. I don't have any damn map. I never did have any map. Now either cut me loose or leave me in peace."

The man drew his sword and pointed at her throat. "You're in no position to be giving any orders girl. Either give me the map or I'll cut your throat."

"Go ahead," she said defiantly. "Brigand and I have already been over this. Of course, I think you're more stupid than he is. Does he even know you're here?" she asked. "I don't think he'd like to know that his lackey is trying to steal the map out from under him."

"I don't tell him everything," he said, a smirk lighting his face. "I know more about this map than he does. He was too stupid and shortsighted to understand it's value. The power that was behind it."

"And you understand this power better than he does?" she asked.

"Of course," he whispered, his sword still aimed at her throat. He smiled. "Your father was the one who told me about the map. He had drunk quite a lot of rum. It was through me that Brigand learned of this map."

"You told Brigand about this treasure?" Gen asked. "Why would you do that to my father? What did he do to you?"

"Nothing," said Tines. "It has nothing to do with him, at least not directly."

"What kind of power does this map have," Gen asked. "It sounds like you know more about it than anyone does."

"Then you can enlighten me," said Brigand, who stood a few yards behind Tines.

Tines whipped around, shock evident on his face. "Captain," he began. Before he could utter another word, Brigand fired his pistol and Tines tumbled onto the sand face-first.

She heard him gurgling and heard him whisper, "it will destroy you. It will destroy him."

"Are you feeling any more forthcoming?" Brigand asked, stepping over Tines' body unconcernedly.

Genevieve laughed at him. "Maybe," she said. "Would you mind cutting me loose?" she asked.

"First, you tell me where the map is."

"I can tell you exactly where the map is," she said. "Jack Sparrow has it."

"Not really that loyal to him are you?" Brigand asked with a grin.

"I've had some time to think about it," said Genevieve, formulating a plan. "It's not like he did anything to try to save me. After all," she said. "he's just a pirate."

"Glad to see that you're coming to your senses," said Brigand.

"So, do we have a deal?" she asked. Her arms were tingling from poor circulation.

"You stupid girl," he said, grinning. "You just gave up your only bargaining chip."

"After you get the map, I'm the only one who knows how to decipher it."

"Well," he said, "I'll know just where to find you when I need you." Turning around, he kicked sand on her as he sauntered away.

"Damn it," she whispered under her breath, tossing her golden red hair as she watched him disappear into the trees.

Xander wiped the sweat from his forehead as he trudged after Jack. "Aren't we almost there?" he asked.

"Slight detour," Jack said, his hat low over his forehead. He ducked behind a tree and motioned for Xander to be quiet as he saw Brigand stalk past them, about a hundred yards away. "I think we just found our girl," he said as he watched Brigand's progress towards the small rowboat waiting on the beach.

"Genevieve?" Xander asked.

"Stay here," Jack said. "I'll go check and see." He slipped through the trees silently as Xander looked up through the palm fronds sheltering the inner island.

Genevieve was still cursing Brigand when Jack came up behind her.

"You look like you need some help lass," he whispered in her ear. She jumped and craned her neck to try to get a look at her latest visitor.

"Jack? What the hell are you doing here?"

Jack frowned at her. "Well, if my visit is inconvenient, I can just come back some other time."

"No, hurry up and cut me loose," she said, twisting her wrists where the rope was beginning to burn.

"What's the hurry?" he asked.

"Well, besides the fact that my arms are killing me, Brigand's going to be looking for you so it might be wise to get as far away as possible."

"Why would he do that?" Jack asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Can we discuss this after you untie me?"

"You know, you're much less intimidating like this," he said with a smirk, rubbing a lock of her auburn hair between his thumb and forefinger.

"Jack!" she whispered loudly, knocking him out of his short-lived daydream.

"Alright, alright," he said, stepping behind her and slicing the rope behind the tree.

She staggered up, and was annoyed when Jack steadied her by grabbing her arm to keep her from falling.

"Who is that?" he asked, gesturing to Tines' body sunken into the sand.

"An unfortunate fool," she said, pulling him away as he examined the man. "Apparently, he's the reason this whole mess started. He told Brigand about the map. He said that my father got drunk and told him."

Jack nodded and shook his head at the body sprawled in the sand.

"Why is Brigand coming after me?" Jack asked.

"Because he knows you have my portion of the map."

Jack stopped cold in his tracks. "You told him that?"

"He promised to let me go if I told him where it was. You do have it don't you?" She smirked when Jack ducked his head. "Typical thief," she muttered.

Jack frowned and pulled her to him. "If I hadn't taken it, it would be in Brigand's hands by now."

"So, I'm supposed to thank you?"

"No, but you should at least show some gratitude for rescuing you."

Xander appeared from behind the trees. "You're okay?" he asked.

"Yes," Gen said, moving past Jack and Xander. "I'm fine."

"Come on," Jack said. "We have a treasure to find."

"Where are we going now?" Xander asked.

"Follow me," Jack said, "I know where we're going."

They broke through the trees and Genevieve gasped when she saw smoke rising from the Black Pearl and the Ruby.

"Jack!" she said, slapping him on the arm. "Look!"

Jack gritted his teeth and snarled. "Cheap trick," he said softly. "He's trying to get us out of the way."

"You think they're alright?" she asked as the Ruby fired again at the Pearl, aiming short and sending water fountaining into the sky.

"There's only one way to be sure. Xander, you need to return to the ship."

"Why me?" he asked, defensive.

"Because it'll serve as misdirection. Brigand will believe we're off the island, and then maybe we can get through the tests."

"Fine," Xander said. "But the last time we separated, things started to go wrong."

"Be careful," said Gen quietly.

Xander stalked to the beach, knowing he had a hike ahead of him. Of course, he would have to come back to the island later, but this should at least keep Brigand busy for the time being.

Jack turned to her after Xander walked away. "Is that all you told Brigand? That I had the map?"

"Yes, that's all I told him. I didn't find out anything I didn't already know. He killed my father after my father led him to the treasure. I don't know what possessed my father to simply volunteer information like that to Brigand."

"Well, either way, we have to find the first mark on the map," he said, holding it up for her to see. Now all we have to do is work our way through the tests."

"I did learn something interesting about Brigand though," she said. "He confirmed the fact that he knew about Xander's existence. He said that the reason he murdered my father was because my father was "consorting" with pirates, namely, Xander's father."

"Come on," Jack said. "Let's get to work."

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The sun was well overhead when Jack stopped in front of Gen, who ran into him.

"Why don't you give me some warning?" she asked.

"This is it," Jack said, looking at the map again and grinning.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Jack nodded and his grin widened. "Do you recognize this spot?" he asked.

"Um, we've been walking around this island for a while. It all looks like trees and bugs to me."

He gestured to what looked to be a dent in the sand. Upon closer inspection, it was a large hole in the ground. The same hole that Genevieve had fallen down into. They could hear water falling inside the underground cavern.

"Up for a little adventure?" Jack asked, grinning at Gen.

"Let's get this over with," she said, moving towards the hole.

Jack slung an arm around her shoulder and spun her around.

"Jack, let go of me."

"Where's your sense of adventure, love?" he asked.

She smirked at him and tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "We have to get through this before anyone else gets hurt. You didn't see Brigand," she said. "It was like he was obsessed with the treasure. This whole ordeal has become so convoluted and turned around that I don't even know how I ended up here. Brigand's killed, God knows how many people to reach where we are today. And he'll kill again before he sees anyone take that treasure before him."

"Which is why we're going to kill him first," Jack said.

"What?" Gen glared at him, her eyes narrowed.

"We have to kill him. He'll never stop otherwise." Jack scanned over his shoulder when he heard a rustling in the bushes.

"Jack, how can you possibly kill him? That'll just make you sink, er...rise to his level," she said with a smirk.

"Gen, look at how many lives he's ruined. Do you think he'll stop?"

"No. But killing him ourselves would just make us murderers. We could return him to Port Royal and have him charged. Commodore Norrington is an old friend of my father's family."

"You're not being rational about this. He'll kill all of us if he thinks his treasure is in jeopardy. I don't want to discuss it anymore. Whatever happens, happens."

"Fine," Gen said. "But if you kill him, you'll be no more than a murderer."

"And you think I've never killed a man before?" he asked Gen.

"I don't want to know," Gen said.

They both studied the deep hole and Jack whistled through his teeth. "So...do you want to jump first, or should I?"


	20. Memories Lost

**Chapter 20: Memories Lost**

**Notes: **I want to thank all of my reviewers, I know this story's hit sort of a lull, but it'll be getting to the fun part soon, promise!  
Special thanks to Dawnie-7 and Pirate Gyrl. Y'all rock! Now on to Chapter 20!

The underground cavern was darkened, but seemed to glow with an otherworldly light.

"Are you sure you know where we're going?" Gen asked, surveying their surroundings apprehensively.

"It's around here somewhere," Jack said with a grin.

"What is?" Gen said.

"The first test."

"How are we supposed to get through these tests again?"

"With my genius and your stupidity, we should have just enough to get by," Jack said, smirking.

"Funny," she said, crossing her arms.

"This way," he said, taking her hand and ignoring the fiery glare that she shot at him.

"Why don't you keep your hands off of me," she grumbled.

"Because I'd rather not," he said, grinning. He rubbed her hand with his thumb and his grin widened as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Do you have any idea what these tests are?"

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_Thomas Jenkins grinned as Brigand sauntered across the deck of the Ruby. _

"_Lieutenant Jenkins," Brigand growled. _

"_Yes sir," Thomas said, wiping the smile off his face and putting his hands behind his back._

"_I need to see you in my office at once." _

"_Sir," Thomas said, following Brigand towards his office and noting all the stares that followed them._

"_Lieutenant," he said, sitting down behind the expansive desk that took up a great deal of his office, "I'm concerned about a story that I was just told by one of your shipmates, Tines. He claimed that in a drunken stupor, you told him of a treasure. A treasure you had learned of from a pirate." _

_"Captain," Thomas said, "I'm not exactly sure of what Tines was referring to, but it was not I who told him such a fairy tale." _

_"How did you hear of this treasure Jenkins?" Brigand asked. "Associating with pirates?" He stood and glared at Thomas as he stiffened. _

_"Captain, certainly you don't believe such a treasure exists." _

_"I believe that I have proof of you acting in an unbecoming manner lieutenant. What pirate were you associating with? You can tell me."_

_"Captain, I'm not sure what you're referring to because I did not tell Tines of this treasure. I assure you." _

_"Until I am certain of that, Jenkins, I will be keeping a close eye on you. You might want to watch whom you converse with. And also," he grimaced and eyed Thomas disdainfully, "whom you become intoxicated with. You are dismissed," he said, gesturing towards the door to the office. Thomas excused himself quietly and once outside, leaned against the wall, exhaling deeply. He had work to do. _

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_Jack smiled at the captain as he climbed aboard. He wore dark pants, boots and a billowy white shirt that looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in years. He also wore a brown tri-cornered hat and grinned down at Jack as he passed. _

"_Captain Sparrow," he said, turning to Jack's father. _

"_Captain Marsh," Jack's father said, shaking hands with the man. "Why don't we speak in my quarters, it'll give us more privacy." _

"_Do you not trust your crew?" Captain Marsh asked._

"_Of course," Captain Sparrow laughed. "It'll just keep some ideas out of my boy's head. He's already obsessed with treasure hunting and all this talk will just make him worse." He laughed, "I caught him poking around my office a couple of days ago. When I asked him what he was doing, he said he was looking for treasure. He's obsessed, I swear to you." _

_Tristan shared a laugh over Sparrow's fatherly adoration and then sobered. "I have some information that you might be interested in regarding Captain Brigand."_

"_Brigand? What the hell do I care about that bastard?"_

"_The spy aboard the Ruby has contacted me and told me that he intends to go after Poseidon's treasure." _

"_What? What proof does he have that it even exists?" _

"_From what I can tell, he learned of the treasure from another soldier on board, a man named Tines." _

"_Fine," said Captain Sparrow. "Tell the spy to direct Brigand to a false location. He will never have control of this treasure."_

"_When I came to you six months ago, and enlisted your help in finding this, I never considered that maybe it shouldn't be found. It's been hidden for so long and the world has kept on spinning." _

"_Tristan, it'll be safer in our hands than in someone like Brigand's. Are you sure that the spy, Jenkins, is the key to finding it?" _

"_I'm certain of it. His family came from what was once the empire of Troy."_

"_Has he shown you his half?" Captain Sparrow asked, narrowing his eyes as Marsh. _

"_Not yet, but he told me that he did not dare carry it with him onboard the Ruby."_

"_What do you think Brigand'll do?" _

"_I don't know," said Tristan. "He's just crazy enough to think that he can find it." _

"_Doesn't he know the legend?" _

"_I don't think so. Otherwise he never would've conceived to go after it." _

"_Fine. Jenkins will send Brigand on a wild goose chase. Then we'll be free to meet him later and find this treasure." _

"_That's suiting. I best be off then," Tristan said, rising from the large table in the captain's quarters. _

"_Be careful Tristan," Captain Sparrow said, "Brigand's a tricky bastard." _

_Tristan nodded and excused himself from the room. _

_When he stepped out on to the deck of the ship, he saw Jack, standing at the bow of the ship and staring out into the sea. "How are you, young Jack?" _

_Jack grinned wickedly and shrugged. _

"_Would you like to know what I was talking to your father about?" _

_Jack nodded excitedly but wondered why an adult was volunteering information so freely. He listened, grinning as Tristan explained the legend of the treasure. _

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"Jack!" Gen yelled at him. He had been staring into a corner of the cavern for a few moments and she waved a hand in front of his face. All at once he seemed to snap out of it and smirked at her.

"What is it love?"

"What were you thinking about?" she asked.

"Just remembering something. It's nothing," he said, dismissing it with a wave of his hand.

"Well can we get started then?" Gen asked.

"Of course. He looked down at the map. "We need to go that way," he said, pointing. "That's the first mark on the map."

"Okay."

**Okay, guys and gals, that's the end to the twentieth chapter! So now for my announcements:**

I am looking for any suggestions on the tests that Jack and Gen have to get through. Anything at all! I've already got a couple worked out, but since I'm planning on doing the tests in the next two or three chapters, I'm gonna need some help. Please, please please help!

Again, thanks to all my faithful reviewers! Keep up the great work guys!


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